Around 800 people attended Phyllis Tuckwell’s Light up a Life service on Sunday 8th December, gathering together at this special time of year to remember loved ones who are no longer with us.
Phyllis Tuckwell holds its Light up a Life service every year in the lead up to Christmas. As the local charity is currently building a new state-of-the-art Hospice on its existing site in Farnham, to enable it to care for more people who need its support, its Light up a Life service was held at Guildford Cathedral. It had been planned to hold the service outside the Cathedral, but because of the wet and windy weather, it was moved inside.
The service included readings and carols, and afterwards the names of those who had had a dedication made in their memory were projected onto the front of the Cathedral, along with the image of a Christmas tree.
“We would like to thank everyone who came along to our Light up a Life service this year, and all those who made a dedication in memory of a loved one,” said Jill Thornton, Pastoral Care team lead at Phyllis Tuckwell, who led the service. “We hope that the evening was special to you and that you found comfort and support in the company of others who are also missing a loved one. The service was recorded, so if you were not able to attend on the night, you can watch it at www.pth.org.uk/lual2024.”
If you would like to, you can still make a dedication in memory of a loved one, on Phyllis Tuckwell's virtual night sky, at www.pth.org.uk/lual. Each star in the sky represents the life of someone who is loved and missed, no longer with us but never forgotten. Along with your dedication, you can write a message and include a photo if you would like to, and make a donation in their memory.
All of the money raised through the dedications will go towards helping fund the palliative and end of life care that Phyllis Tuckwell provides for local patients and families who are living with an advanced or terminal illness, such as cancer. Every day it supports over 250 patients, relatives and carers, through medical and nursing care, therapies, counselling, social work advice and practical support, but as the NHS/Government only covers 25% of its costs, it has to raise over £25,000 a day to do this.
Phyllis Tuckwell would like to thank Right at Home and Beard Construction for sponsoring Light up a Life this year, and is grateful to Guildford Cathedral for hosting the event and for allowing the service to be moved inside due to the weather.
All our services are free, but this is only possible due to the generosity of our amazing community. The Government/NHS only provide 25% of our costs, so we need to raise over £25,000 every day to provide our vital services.
Please donate what you can to help keep hospice care available to all those in our community who need us.
