To mark the end of its 30th anniversary year, Forest Holme Hospice is inviting the local community, regardless of any connection to the hospice, to come together and remember loved ones at its annual Light up a Life event, which this year will be taking place in Poole Town Centre.
The event, which is sponsored by Dawsongroup Finance and Open Hands, a programme set up by Dawsongroup plc to create social benefits through fundraising and donations, begins with a candle-lit procession, leaving from The Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole at 4pm on Saturday 7th December and proceeding to Falkland Square, where the Citrus Singers choir will lead carols around the tree.
Claire Cooper from Forest Holme Hospice Charity, said, “Light up a Life is a beautiful and uplifting occasion and a chance to pause for reflection before the festive season gets underway. Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for those who have lost a loved one, so this event provides a moment of togetherness to reflect on the cherished memories we’ve shared with those who are no longer with us.”
Lanterns for the procession are available to pre-order online and can be collected at The Gather (opposite H. Samuel) in The Dolphin Centre and participants are welcome to take their lanterns home as keepsakes. Complimentary mulled wine and mince pies will be served after the procession back at The Gather.
From Monday 2nd December to Friday 13th December (10am – 3pm daily), Forest Holme will also be hosting its Tree of Remembrance in The Dolphin Centre, outside The Body Shop, where visitors can add a personal dedication on a star to remember loved ones and support the hospice by purchasing Christmas gifts, cards, and other merchandise.
A spokesperson from Dawsongroup, added, “We are honoured to be sponsoring this special event that celebrates cherished memories and helps bring comfort to families. At Dawsongroup, we believe in the power of community, and there’s no greater privilege than being able to contribute to such a meaningful occasion, while also helping Forest Holme continue its invaluable care for those who need it most.”
For further details about the event, ordering lanterns and making a dedication, visit https://forestholmehospice.org.uk/events/light-up-a-life/
About Forest Holme Hospice Charity
Forest Holme Hospice provides palliative and end-of life-care and support to more than 1,500 people each year across Poole, Wimborne and the Isle of Purbeck with advanced cancer and other life-limiting illnesses such as Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s, heart disease and respiratory illness.
Forest Holme is part of University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust but still needs to raise £1 million each year so that the team can deliver the highest level of care, when and where it counts.
Forest Holme Hospice Charity was set-up to ensure that everyone in the local community affected by life-limiting illness or bereavement gets the care and support they need, either at home or in its dedicated hospice facility. The Charity works together with Macmillan Caring Locally to support the provision of Palliative and End-of-Life Care across the geographical remit of University Hospitals Dorset.
The hospice has a team of specialist doctors, nurses, counsellors, complementary therapists and specialist care teams who provide practical and emotional support for adults of all ages and their families in a variety of settings, such as their own home, nursing home, care home, in hospital or in the hospice itself.
Forest Holme also offers counselling and bereavement support to both newly diagnosed individuals and family members, as it understands that care extends beyond physical treatment of symptoms, as the emotional, psychological, spiritual and social needs of patients, their families, children and carers all need to be considered.
The demand for palliative and end-of-life care is ever increasing as people are living longer and have more complex illnesses, so the Charity relies on local support from individuals, companies and groups to help continue the provision of excellent palliative and end-of-life care to patients and their families during the most difficult time of their lives.