WEST Essex and East Herts charity, St Clare Hospice, is going ahead with plans to host a series of heartfelt and Covid-secure ‘Light up a Life’ memorial services this December; giving families the opportunity to celebrate the lives of lost loves ones this festive season.  

Essex is operating under Tier Two Covid measures which means that socially-distanced outdoor charity events can take place. The charity is closely monitoring Government guidelines and will be following all current regulations on hosting these Covid-secure, outdoor services. 

The festive season can be a very emotional occasion, a special time for spending precious moments with friends and family, and for remembering those who are no longer with us. Their absence can be deeply felt, whether their death was recent, or if many years have passed. 

Hosted annually throughout December, St Clare’s Light up a Life services held on the Hospice site in Hastingwood would normally feature live musical performances and singing, as participants gather in the company of others who understand. This year, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, there will be a number of changes and additional safety measures in place. These include having five separate, ticketed events held outside in the Hospice grounds, socially distancing and rule of six, recorded music, and a maximum limit of 100 attendees at each event. 

Sarah Thompson, St Clare Hospice CEO, said: “Light up a Life is our annual celebration of everything that St Clare stands for – joining together with families from across our community in honour of their loved ones at the festive season. It is an extension of our care, and this year, more than ever, we know our local communities need a special way to remember their loved ones. That is why we have done our very best to make sure our much-loved Light up a Life services can still take place safely. We have also recorded a virtual service which will be available on our website and across our social media channels, so that those who will not be able to join us in person are still able to participate and take some time out to remember their loved ones this December with a heartfelt and uplifting service.” 

The Light up a Life services are free to attend and each event is open to everyone, whatever their faith – and are not only for the many families St Clare has helped, but all local people. Pre-booking is essential. 

The five services taking place at St Clare Hospice, Hastingwood, are:  

Tuesday 15^th December – St Clare Hospice @ 6:30pm 

Wednesday 16^th December – St Clare Hospice @ 6:30pm 

Thursday 17^th December – St Clare Hospice @ 6:30pm 

Saturday 19^th December – St Clare Hospice @ 4:30pm – Fully booked  

Saturday 19^th December – St Clare Hospice @ 6:30pm – Fully booked  

Two services are taking place in the community:  

Wednesday 9^th December – St Martin’s Church, Ongar @ 4pm – Fully booked  

Wednesday 9^th December – St John the Baptist Church, Epping @ 7pm  

All of the Light up a Life events at the Hospice are ticketed, operating on a first-come first-served basis – tickets can be booked on the St Clare website up until Friday 11^th December. The online service will be available to access from Saturday 12^th December on the Hospice’s website and social media channels. Visit stclarehospice.org.uk/light-up-a-life for details and booking.  

Just like St Clare Hospice’s care, participation in Light up a Life is free of charge. However, if you would like to make a donation alongside your loved one’s dedication, it would be so appreciated by both the Hospice, and local people who benefit from their care. As an independent charity, St Clare has to raise more than £8,000 every single day to run their hospice services. Therefore, any donation is vital in ensuring their services can continue to run now, and in years to come.  

For information about the Light up a Life services visit stclarehospice.org.uk/light-up-a-life or get in touch directly with the Hospice team on 01279 773750 or [email protected]