Shine Bright for Your Hospice this Christmas
St Elizabeth Hospice is calling on supporters throughout East Suffolk and Great Yarmouth and Waveney to light up their homes with festive lights and decorations to raise vital funds for the charity this Christmas.
From flying reindeer and dancing snowmen, through to angels and Father Christmas, it is an annual tradition for many to light up their homes and places of work with fantastic light displays to mark the Christmas period.
This year, St Elizabeth Hospice is once more encouraging supporters to ‘shine bright’ and show their love for their local hospice by creating their own fundraising, festive light displays in aid of the charity.
Celia Joseph, Community and Projects Fundraising Manager, said: “It is that time of the year again when we ask the community to ‘shine bright’ for the hospice and decorate their homes with festive lights to bring some festive cheer in the local community and celebrate the Christmas period.
“We all enjoy seeing the brilliant displays people create and every penny raised makes such a difference to our services, which we provide throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.”
One family lighting up their home for the hospice this Christmas, is the Stout family. From 1st December until 5th January, Julie and Neil Stout will be lighting up their Purdis Farm home in support of the independent Suffolk charity, which cared for both Julie’s parents, Jacqueline and William Sparrow.
The lights will be in tribute to both Jacqueline and William, as well as Julie and Neil’s daughter, Jessica Mai, who died in 2021, after giving birth to her second daughter Orla Mai Anne in May.
Julie, said: “We want to thank everyone at St Elizabeth Hospice who has supported us and our Christmas lights is our way of showing our gratitude. We may not think it, but it will probably be a cause that touches us all, or others we love, at some point in our lives.
“St Elizabeth Hospice was a cause close to the heart of our daughter, Jessica Mai. She was a big kid with Christmas so, as hard as it is to see the lights so bright and cheerful, it brings us and others joy to see the kids’ faces light up.
“The lights display will include a special surprise this year for all to enjoy and will feature approximately 35,000 – 40,000 lights! Thank you to everyone for their continued support and hopefully we will see a few new faces this year, showing their support for St Elizabeth Hospice.”
To view the Stout family’s Christmas lights display visit 16, Mill Road Drive, Purdis Farm.
To donate towards the Stout family’s hospice fundraising visit – www.justgiving.com/page/neil-stout-1699016403629.
All funds raised will go towards the hospice’s Be a Star, Christmas appeal. On average every Christmas, St Elizabeth Hospice provides vital care to more than 1,190 people living with progressive and life-limiting illnesses and their families across East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney, for many of whom it will be their last Christmas spent together.
Through Be a Star, the independent Suffolk charity is encouraging the community to support the hospice during this very special time of year and help staff ensure patients and families can have the Christmas they deserve.
If you are lighting up your house or business this year and would like to support St Elizabeth Hospice please email fundraising@stelizabethhospice.org.uk or call 01473 723600 and the team will be able to advise on how to promote your Christmas lights.
For more information visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/be-a-star/fundraising/be-a-star-and-shine-bright
