Services across west Dorset will be held to dedicate a light for loved ones who will be missed at Christmas.

Weldmar Hospicecare will hold its Light up a Life services across west Dorset, where people can put a light by a special tree to commemorate those they will miss.

The invitation is open to anyone who has lost a loved one, whether they were cared for by Weldmar or not.

Services of remembrance will also be held at each of the trees in early December, featuring traditional hymns, readings, switching on and off the lights and reflection.

Light up a Life services will take place in Bridport, Lyme Regis and Wareham among other locations across Dorset.

For anyone unable to attend in person, an online service will be broadcast on Weldmar’s Facebook and YouTube channels, which will be available to watch until after Christmas.

The event is set to take place in Bridport at Groves Nurseries, West Bay Road on Friday, December 1.

Lyme Regis will hold a service on Wednesday, December 20 at St Michael the Archangel Church on Church Street, 7pm.

The Dorchester service will take place Tuesday, December 5 at 6.30pm the Weldmar Inpatient Unit in Herringston Road.

The online service will take place on Wednesday, December 13 at 7.30pm.   

Light up a Life supporter Kathy attended the service in Bridport last year to dedicate a light to her husband, Alan, who was cared for by Weldmar Hospicecare before he passed away in October 2022.

Kathy said: “It was a beautiful, uplifting celebration of our loved ones’ lives. It was very emotional and magical. I’ll go every year.

“Even if you’re not religious it doesn’t matter, it’s such a lovely, spiritual, moving way to remember your loved one, and it gives you comfort to know Weldmar is still thinking about you,” she added.

Gloria McCartney, Fundraising Lead, said: “The Light up a Life services are always a special time of the year for us all at Weldmar Hospicecare, and I know they are important to our communities too, allowing people to come together to pause, reflect and remember loved ones that they have lost.

“We know that Christmas can be a particularly challenging and sad time when grieving for a loved one, and that providing an opportunity for people to dedicate a light to a loved one, whether they have a Weldmar connection or not, at the beginning of the Christmas season, has been so important to so many people."

She went on to say that dedicating a light also means Weldmar can continue to provide specialist care for people living with a life limiting illness in Dorset, and supporting their loved ones.

“By dedicating a light in return for a donation to Weldmar Hospicecare, you will receive a special Light up a Life pack including a wooden star to hang on your local Light up a Life tree, or your own Christmas tree, a handwritten card from Weldmar, and a copy of the order of service,” she added.

You can find out more about the Light up a Life services, and dedicate a light online at weldmarhospicecare.org/lightupalife