Light up a Life is a traditional event in the Phyllis Tuckwell calendar, where those who wish to remember and celebrate the lives of their loved ones, are invited to join us for a very special service of readings and carols that will be held inside Guildford Cathedral on Sunday 6th December at 7.45pm.

After the service, we will be projecting the image of a Christmas tree onto the front of the Cathedral building and 'switching on' its lights to represent the lives of those who are much loved and missed. The names of those who have had a dedication made in their memory will also be projected onto the front of the Cathedral building, after the service.

We expect the service to last approximately 45 mins - 1 hour.

We would be delighted if you could join us for this year's service - everyone is welcome. This event proves very popular so please arrive in good time to park and secure a seat inside Guildford Cathedral. Seats are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Seats cannot be reserved.

Remember to wrap up warm and bring a torch if you wish to watch the name of your loved one projected onto the outside of Cathedral after the service.

Limited parking is available at Guildford Cathedral for those who wish to attend the service and view the projection on Sunday 6th December. Please car share when possible and allow plenty of time to park. The Cathedral will be very busy, as there will be approximately 900 attendees.

Once the Cathedral car park is full, parking attendants will direct you to overflow parking at the University of Surrey.

PLEASE NOTE the first hour is free, and then it's £2 for daily parking. Walking access to the Cathedral is via the path by Wetherspoons. See further details below and map

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/visit-university/how-get-here/parking

Please allow 15 minutes to walk to the Cathedral via steps through the University or via the Hill to the Cathedral. 

To make a dedication in memory of your loved one visit www.pth.org.uk/lual to add a light to our virtual night sky, which you can view whenever you wish, or call 01252 729446. 

You can make a dedication in memory of anyone who is special to you, whether they were cared for by Phyllis Tuckwell or not.

If you are making a dedication via post or through our online night sky and would also like it to feature on the projection of dedications on the front of Guildford Cathedral – please ensure you make your dedication online by 20th November.

The Order of Service will be available to download from our website from Friday 4th December 2026. It will also be handed out to those who attend the service at the Cathedral on Sunday 6th December.

If you are unable to attend the service in person you can still watch it online, as it will be broadcast live on this page. It will also be recorded, so you can watch it again at a later date or forward the link to friends and family who may appreciate the opportunity to feel part of Light Up A Life.

The names are in alphabetical order and will be projected up in a continuous loop from after the service until 10pm. Each loop of names takes approx. 18-20mins.

Do take advantage of Seasons Café to keep warm if you wish to view the projection more than once.

Please also note that different names are displayed on both sides of the front of the Cathedral, either side of the virtual Christmas tree so when looking for your loved ones name, please check both sides.

There is no minimum donation for each dedication, all we ask is that you are as generous as possible, so that you can help us to continue providing our vital care to local patients and families...because every day is precious.

Due to Evensong Service taking place in Guildford Cathedral 6pm – 7pm we are unable to open the doors for our Light Up A Life Service until 7.15pm. Please bear with us as we have a very short turn around to set up, get everyone seated and be ready for the service and live stream to start on time at 7.45pm.

The service is likely to be full. The stewards will ask that you don't leave spaces as you take your seats.

Yes - of course. Light up a Life is open to anyone who wishes to remember a loved one or someone special to them, irrespective of whether they were a patient under our care or not.

The event is fully accessible. Please use the accessible pathways/routes available. If you have a blue badge and require a disabled parking space, please make a marshal aware on arrival.

We are grateful to Season's Cafe at Guildford Cathedral who are kindly opening from 5pm-10pm especially for Light up a Life. They will be serving hot drinks, including mulled wine, warm sausage rolls and cakes for you to purchase.

There are no toilets facilities in the Cathedral building. Toilets are situated behind the shop in the visitor centre. We have one accessible toilet, which requires a RADAR key for entry.

Sadly the projection of dedications is not easy to capture and read through a camera lens, so this part of the projection will only be available to view in person on the night.

Yes - the projection of dedications will play on rotation from 8.30pm - 10pm on Sunday 6th December - you are welcome at any point during this time to view the projection.

Yes, this will be the only chance to view the dedications this year.

Yes, the Christmas wreaths are kindly handmade by some of our Hospice volunteers and they will be available to purchase before and after the service at Seasons Cafe. They proved so popular last year, that we are grateful to have them available again this year. 100% of money raised through the sale of the wreaths will come to Phyllis Tuckwell.

Please note - only assistance dogs are allowed in Guildford Cathedral.