Remember Someone Special With St Catherine’s Hospice Tree Of Light

Remember Someone Special With St Catherine’s Hospice Tree Of Light

St Catherine’s Hospice is inviting the local community to come together to remember their loved ones at its annual Tree of Light service.

Taking place on Sunday 8 December at the K2 Leisure Centre, Crawley, from 3pm, this moving event offers bereaved family and friends an opportunity to reflect on the year that’s passed and honour someone special.

At the heart of the service is a Tree of Light, adorned with hundreds of lights. Everyone who attends is also invited to place a dedication star on further trees and encouraged to make a donation in memory of their loved one. By dedicating a star, you’re not only remembering the person you love, you’re also helping other people’s loved ones, by giving more people the chance to spend treasured time with family and friends.

This year’s service will include music, carefully chosen readings, and refreshments served after the service. Trained members of St Catherine’s listening team will also be on hand to offer support to anyone who would find this helpful.

St Catherine’s Hospice Tree of Light is open to everyone, regardless of whether they’ve known someone cared for by the hospice.

Rev Lisa Rainier, Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Lead for St Catherine’s, said: “The death of someone close is one of life’s hardest experiences. Christmas can be an especially difficult time of year as traditionally it’s a time to be with family and friends, so Tree of Light is a great way to remind those who are bereaved in our community that we understand their feelings of loss and are here to offer them support.

At Tree of Light, our decorated trees stand as beautiful, shining tributes to the people we all love and miss. And although services are designed to allow people to reflect on their loss, and reassure them that their feelings are normal, ultimately, they’re uplifting. In fact, many people tell me that after attending Tree of Light they feel more able to appreciate and engage with the spirit of the festive season.”

If you can’t attend the K2 service, Crawley United Reformed Church (Worth Park Avenue, RH10 3DF) has a Tree of Light service on Sunday 1 December at 4pm. There are also other smaller services in churches across Sussex and Surrey on Sunday 1 and Sunday 8 December. For full details please visit: www.stch.org.uk/treeoflight

For more information on making a donation, attending the K2 Tree of Light, or a service more local to you please contact Isabelle Taylor at St Catherine’s on 01293 583059 or email: remembering@stch.org.uk

St Catherine’s is currently only able to provide end of life care to one in three local people. With your support, the local hospice wants to be there for everyone when life comes full circle. Please consider supporting St Catherine’s with a donation – www.stch.org.uk/donate