The annual Light Up A Life service organised by Beaumond House Community Hospice, Newark, will be recorded this year because of the pandemic.

The event gives people the chance to remember loved ones and in the past services have been held in Newark and Southwell.

Events and corporate fundraising officer Kat Wright said they still wanted to give people the chance to reflect and remember with Beaumond House.

“After this year we believe it has never been more important to come together as a community,” she said.

The service will be recorded in Newark Parish Church and then screened on December 15 for a virtual gathering on Zoom. It will also be available on the hospice website and copies of a DVD will be available.

As part of Light Up A Life three Trees of Remembrance will be decorated with tags with messages in remembrance of loved ones. The tags will be made into a book once they are taken down.

Kat Wright said they had already had a wonderful response to people wanting to have a remembrance tag.

“People want to remember their loved ones at this special time of year and this is a great way to do so,” she said.

The trees will be outside the main door to Beaumond House on London Road, Newark; in the grounds of Southwell Minster and outside All Saints’ Church, North Collingham from Tuesday (Dec 1).

They have been donated by Hardy’s farm shop, Southwell Garden Centre and RS Gray and Son.

One of the tags to be placed on the tree at Beaumond House is in memory of Mr Alec Scott who died in the hospice in September 2019.

His daughter Mrs Christine Lathlane of Balderton said it had given them some comfort to take part in the scheme.

“I think it is a lovely idea to put a message on a tree of remembrance,” she said.

“It would be terrific to see all three trees full of tags.”

Alec was diagnosed with bowel cancer when he was 90. He underwent treatment over the next seven years and was able to continue to live at home with Christine’s help and carers.

In August 2019 the social services critical care team felt Alec would benefit from care at Beaumond House and he spent a week there.

“They raised his spirits and even when he was not feeling well he had a laugh and a joke with the nurses,” she said.

“They cared for him so well and after the week was up it was felt he was strong enough to go home.”

During a hospital visit later that month Alec was told that treatment was no longer an option and he needed end of life care.

“He accepted it,” said Christine. “We sat down and he said he did not want to go into hospital so I asked him what he thought about going to the hospice. He said “that would be lovely.”

The hospice was contacted and a bed was found for him the same day.

“I can’t thank Beaumond House enough,” she said. “He was helped straight away.”

Christine was able to visit him every day and she was with him when he died in the hospice five days later.

“It was the right place for him and he passed away peacefully,” she said.

“I can’t say thank you enough to Beaumond House. They give such individual care and consideration to everybody. They were wonderful.”

To make a donation and to request a remembrance tag visit the hospice website, justgiving.com/campaign/BHLUAL2020 or download a form from www.beaumondhouse.co.uk/light-up-a-life-2020.

Pictured is Ian Thacker, filming Matt Elsey, of the Salvation Army.

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