Northern Ireland Hospice is urging the public to light up the darkness, as it launches its annual Lights to Remember appeal and remembrance service – the first time the event will be in-person since December 2019.

Northern Ireland Hospice is urging the public to light up the darkness, as it launches its annual Lights to Remember appeal and remembrance service – the first time the event will be in-person since December 2019.

The local charity invites people across Northern Ireland to dedicate a light on the Hospice Christmas tree in memory of their loved ones who are no longer with us, and to support Hospice’s specialist palliative nursing care.

This year’s Lights to Remember service will take place both in-person with an online service to follow for those that cannot attend. The service will take place at 7.00pm on Thursday 15^th December at Dominican College, Fortwilliam, followed by a torch-light procession to Somerton House, the Adult In-Patient Unit on Belfast’s Somerton Road.

There, the Christmas tree will be lit up in memory of lost loved ones, with the Hospice Christmas lights officially being switched on by the devoted daughters of Jim McVeigh, a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who died of cancer in 2020 at NI Hospice’s Adult In-Patient Unit at Somerton House.

For those that wish to attend the free service they should book their tickets online through the NI Hospice website, please click here.

Heather Weir, Chief Executive of NI Hospice, said: “Our Lights to Remember Appeal provides an opportunity for families to come together to reflect and remember the lives of those who were, and still are, so special to us.

“We know the festive season is a difficult time for many people who have experienced loss and grief. We hope our service this year provides much solace and comfort.  Help us light up our Christmas tree at hospice by lighting a light in memory of loved ones no longer with us.

This also a difficult time financially for Hospice, which is why now more than ever we need public support, so we can continue to provide the highest quality specialist palliative care for people like Jim and the McVeigh family, in Hospice and in homes across Northern Ireland.”

Now entering its 28^th year, the Lights to Remember appeal aims to raise vital funds to help Hospice, with this year’s virtual service Lights to Remember service being hosted online on Monday 19^th December.

The Hospice had made it possible to dedicate a light to a loved one online on their virtual Christmas tree where a personal message or memory can be shared and a photo uploaded. The charity has also issued out thousands of Lights to Remember packs across Northern Ireland that allow families to write their own dedication for their Christmas tree.

To dedicate your light, book your free ticket or to find out more about the Hospice Lights to Remember Service, visit: nihospice.org/lights 

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