Light up a Life in memory of a loved one

A series of special services are being arranged by St Peter's Hospice this

December giving family and friends the opportunity to remember their loved

ones.

Starting

on Tuesday 11 December at Bristol Cathedral, the 'Light up a Life' services will

allow those who come along to reflect and celebrate the lives of someone they

may have lost.

A

group of seven runners made up of St Peter's Hospice volunteers and staff will

be carrying a torch from the hospice in Brentry to the service at Bristol

Cathedral. The light will then be passed on to a group of four St Peter's

Hospice nurses, who will walk the light down the aisle and begin the event.

Guests

at the Bristol Cathedral service will also be treated to a special song

performed by around twenty hospice staff. The song has been composed by music

therapist Jane Lings who asked staff to send in three words describing what the

hospice means to them, which she has incorporated into the lyrics.

Joining

the choir will be George Ray from Bradley Stoke, who lost his mum four years

ago at the hospice. Jane helped George with his loss through music therapy.

The

Bristol Cathedral service will be followed by similar services at the St

Peter's Hospice gardens in Brentry on 15 December, which will also feature a

visit from the Knutty Knitters' Knitivity and a service at the Counterslip Baptist Church

in Whitchurch on 17 December.

The

Light up a Life services will feature carols, music and readings and everyone

is welcome to join in.

St

Peter's Hospice community fundraiser Petra Littlefair said: "The weeks before

Christmas are a special time for many, but for some people they can also be the

hardest. The 'Light up a Life' services are a wonderful way to remember someone

and come together with the local community.

"Those

who have attended in the past find it an appropriate way to think about their

loss. Many also comment on how comforting they find the services as it

is attended by those who have all gone through similar experiences.

"It's that companionship

which many find a great help and we're looking forward to some very special

events this year."

St Peter's Hospice, which is

Bristol's only

adult hospice, also arranges a Book of Remembrance every year, which is blessed

at the Bristol Cathedral service. People can arrange for a loved one's name to

be inscribed in the book, which will be on display at Bristol Cathedral on 11

December and at the hospice from 12 December.

All the past years' Books of

Remembrance are kept in the Sanctuary at the hospice, where people can make an

appointment to view the names of loved ones throughout the year.

Details of the services are

as follows:

 

• 5.15pm, Tuesday 11 December at Bristol Cathedral
• 4pm, Saturday 15 December at the St

  Peter's Hospice

  Gardens, Brentry

  (outdoor service)

• 7.30pm, Monday 17 December at Counterslip Baptist Church,

  Whitchurch

For those who can't make it

to one of the services, the hospice has set up an online 'memory candle' which

can be lit at www.stpetershospice.org