In the last few weeks, hundreds of local people have come together across East Suffolk to remember their loved ones.
St Elizabeth Hospice invited local communities to join them at their Light up a Life services which they held at venues in Framlingham, Ipswich, Felixstowe, and Stowmarket.
The services offer people the chance to remember and celebrate their loved ones at this poignant time of year and include the opportunity to light a candle in their memory, as well as to enjoy carols, readings, and music.
People were also invited to personalise a Special Memories Card with a message, poem or photo that reminded them of their loved one and hang it on the Tree of Remembrance.
The final Light up a Life event was held this weekend at St Peter and St Mary’s Church, Stowmarket, where around 90 people came along to reflect on their memories of family, friends and colleagues who are no longer with us.
They were joined by special guests, the Wattisham Military Wives Choir, who sang ‘Oh Holy Night’, ‘Still Still Still’ and ‘How far is it to Bethlehem’.
Pauline Donkin of St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “Christmas is a time for giving and sharing, a moment for enjoying being with your family members and loved ones. But it is also a time for reflecting on the lives of loved ones we have lost, remembering these special people and the cherished memories that we hold dear to our hearts.
“It was lovely to see so many people coming together in their local community to reflect on those memories at this special time of year.
“Thank you to everyone who joined us at a Light up a Life event, to all the volunteers who helped and gave a reading, and to our special guest singers: Framlingham College Choir; the Felixstowe Children’s Choir; the Co-op Singers; the St Elizabeth Hospice Choir; Notoriety; and the Military Wives choir.”