Virtual Light up a Life Service to be Livestreamed

With Christmas approaching, many of us find our thoughts turning to loved ones whom we would usually spend the festive season with, but who are no longer with us. Traditionally at this time of year, local Hospice Care charity Phyllis Tuckwell holds its annual Light up a Life service, to remember all our loved ones. Due to Coronavirus restrictions, Light up a Life will be a little different this year, but Phyllis Tuckwell is pleased to announce that the service will still be going ahead.

Light up a Life will take place this year on Monday 7^th December. Because of Coronavirus, and to keep everyone safe, the service will be live streamed from in front of Guildford Cathedral, at 7.30pm, so that all those who would usually attend can instead watch it from home. It will include carols and prayers as usual, but instead of the Hospice Christmas tree which everyone would traditionally gather around, this year Phyllis Tuckwell will be projecting a giant Christmas tree onto the front of the Cathedral. During the service the tree’s lights will be ‘switched on’ in memory of all those who are sadly no longer with us. Phyllis Tuckwell will also project onto the Cathedral the names of all those who are being remembered this year. You can watch the service live at www.pth.org.uk/lualservice2020 and it will also be recorded, so it can be watched at a later date.

“We are so pleased that we are still able to hold our Light up a Life service this year and are very grateful to Guildford Cathedral for hosting this special and poignant virtual event for us,” said Claire McDonald at Phyllis Tuckwell. “We hope that on the evening of 7th December, people across our community will join with us online, and take a moment to reflect and remember with fondness all those we have loved but who are sadly no longer with us.”

To keep everyone safe, Phyllis Tuckwell kindly asks that you do not go to the service at the Cathedral on 7th December, which is just being filmed for streaming, with no access for visitors. However, you are more than welcome to visit the Cathedral on the evenings of Tuesday 8th or Wednesday 9th December, when it will be lit up again between 6pm and 10.30pm. If you do visit, please respect all social distancing and safety advice.

Anyone who would like to remember a loved one – whether they were cared for by Phyllis Tuckwell or not – is invited to watch the service. If they wish to, they can make a dedication in memory of that special person, and have their loved one’s name projected onto the Cathedral and added to the Book of Remembrance, which can be downloaded from www.pth.org.uk. Dedications must be received by Friday 27^th November to be included, and everyone who makes a dedication will receive a commemorative card displaying the name of their loved one. You can make a dedication by picking up a form from one of Phyllis Tuckwell’s shops or calling their Fundraising team on 01252 729446. Alternatively you can visit the charity’s Light up a Life website at www.pth.org.uk/lual where you can dedicate a light on their virtual night sky. All dedications which are made on the virtual night sky by Friday 27th November will also be projected onto the Cathedral.

Every day – including throughout the pandemic – Phyllis Tuckwell supports and cares for over 250 local people who are living with an advanced or terminal illness, such as cancer, but it has to raise over £20,000 a day to do this. Its annual Light up a Life service is provided completely free of charge, and there is no minimum donation for making a dedication, but any donation you wish to make will help Phyllis Tuckwell to continue to provide its vital care.