This year’s campaign is especially meaningful as LOROS Hospice marks 40 years of care and 30 years since the first Light Up a Life.
Held in the hospice grounds, the service will feature readings, reflections, and the beautiful moment when the LOROS Christmas tree is lit in memory of those we miss.
While the service begins at 4.30pm, guests are welcome to arrive from 3pm to visit the chapel, hang a remembrance star, and view their loved one’s name in the Book of Remembrance. Minced pies, mulled wine and festive stalls will also be available.
Reflecting on the very first Light Up a Life service in 1995, Nurse Jacky McBlain, who still works at LOROS today, recalls:
“It started snowing. The Salvation Army band was playing, and the hospice cat, Smudge, was sitting calmly by the front door. I remember watching it all unfold on the CCTV from inside the ward, and it was just… beautiful. Spellbinding, really. People standing in the snow, quietly singing, gently remembering the people they’d loved and lost. So simple. So moving.
“For many people, Light Up a Life is the true beginning of Christmas. It’s a quiet moment to reflect, to honour the people we miss, and to feel close to them again. My family always remembers my dad and my grandparents during the service. Somehow, it gives us permission to move forward and celebrate the season, carrying them with us in spirit. "
Entry is free, and everyone is welcome to join this special gathering to remember their loved ones – whether or not they were cared for by LOROS.
Donations to the Light Up a Life Appeal will help fund vital hospice care for local patients and families this Christmas.
For more information and details of parking, please visit loros.co.uk/LUAL
