Christmas is on the way and St. Joseph’s Hospice will hold its annual Light up a Life service this Sunday 4th December.

The service, which will start at 4pm, will include readings, prayers and blessings from the Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool, Tom Neylon, and the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, Mr Mark Blundell, as well as the hospice’s chief executive, Mike Parr.

Children from St Mary’s Prep in Crosby will sing festive carols. Mince pies and hot drinks will also be available.

During the service, the hospice will also switch on the lights of its Light up a Life Christmas tree, with each light dedicated to the memory of someone special.

Light up a Life isn’t just for families who have lost loved ones at the hospice but is for anyone who would like to remember the special people they have lost and to celebrate their lives, or to say thank you or mark a special occasion or birth. It is a very personal Christmas service, which takes place at dusk on the lawn in front of the hospice.

Maxine Armstrong, head of fundraising at St. Joseph’s Hospice, said: “Our Light up a Life service is very popular with local families and it is a wonderful way to mark the start of the festive season here at the hospice.

“We are always delighted to welcome everyone in to our woodland gardens for the service and to see the Christmas lights being switched on.

“For all those families who have made a generous dedication to Light up a Life, they are not only remembering their loved ones but are also helping to support and fund all the good work the hospice does within the community.”

Families can still dedicate a light to a loved one by completing a dedication form, which is available to download at www.stjhospice.org.uk. Forms are also available to pick up directly from the hospice or from any St. Joseph’s Hospice charity shop.

To find out more about Light up a Life, visit www.stjhospice.org.uk, call 0151 932 6044 or email events@stjhospice.org.uk.