With faces lit by glowing candles, crowds gathered at St Christopher’s Hospice, Sydenham to remember loved ones and watch the turning on of the beautiful Remembrance Tree lights. Every December, the Hospice holds a special remembrance service and people are given the opportunity to dedicate a light in memory of someone. People can sponsor a light by making a donation of any size towards the charity’s work.

 

St Christopher’s Hospice is a charity which provides compassionate palliative care to a population of over 1.5 million people across five London boroughs, with the belief that all dying people and those close to them should have access to the care and support they need.

 

The service has been a success ever since it started over 10 years ago. At this years’ service on 7th December over 1,500 people turned out. The service was led by St Christopher’s Chief Executive Shaun O'Leary and Dr Andrew Goodhead. Carols were sung by the St Christopher’s Community Choir and prayers and passages read to mark the time of year. “It is important to know that all who are gathered here have experienced grief in many different ways. However it is services like this that remind us we are not alone.”  Said  Andrew Goodhead. Over 500 hospices across the country will be holding similar remembrance services this Christmas Time many under the banner ‘light up a life’.

 

Christmas is a season of happiness, of joy, festivity and spending time with those we love. We also think of those who cannot be with us and services like this one at St Christopher’s help us to remember all those close to us who have died. As a teenager, I found it both humbling and comforting to see so many people of different ages, gathered together in remembrance. It really makes you stop and think about the significance of all the people in our lives that are important to us, particularly at this time of year.

 

Katie Nash,

Charles Darwin School