Poignant Tree of Light ready to light up in memory of loved ones

Run in partnership with Horncastle Lions, the Tree of Light provides a great opportunity for families in the area to remember those special people who will be sadly missed this Christmas, while also raising valuable funds for three vital hospices in Lincolnshire.

Residents of Horncastle and surrounding villages are invited to sponsor a tree light in memory of a family member or friend, who has died, and the lights will adorn a living tree, situated in Horncastle at the crossroads near the centre of town.

The tree will be lit on Friday December 10, and the names of those being remembered will be displayed on a Tribute List at the foot of the tree and on the Tree of Light website.

The names will also be read out at a simple ceremony when the lights are first lit. A recording of the ceremony will be made and accessed through the Tree of Light website.

There will also be ample opportunity to visit the Tree over the Christmas period.

The minimum recommended donation is £10, and donors will receive a Christmas card as an acknowledgement of their gift.

All proceeds will be shared between the St Barnabas Hospice Trust for Lincolnshire, the Butterfly Hospice Trust in Boston and the St Andrew’s Children’s Hospice in Grimsby.

Support from local businesses enables the Tree of Light to cover its costs so that every penny donated to the Tree of Light will be received by the three hospices.

Last year, a record number of over 400 names were recorded on the Tribute List, raising a total of £5,200 for local hospice charities, and the lighting ceremony was attended by the Mayor, Fiona Martin, President of Horncastle Lions, Philip Walter, and four committee members - but other supporters, family and friends could not be invited due to social distancing restrictions.

Organisers are hoping for another great response this year.

Spokesman for the Tree of Light committee, Tim Peacock, said of last year’s event: “People have been incredibly generous.

“We know that Covid-19 has made life difficult for so many of us but, at Christmas, it becomes especially appropriate to remember family members and friends who have died.

“By sponsoring a light we are also helping hard pressed hospices that do such important work in our area.”

Application forms can be cut out from the form printed in the Horncastle News or obtained in Horncastle from J W Perkins at 7 Market Place and Fletcher and Hughes in the Bull Ring.

They are also available in Woodhall Spa from the Printer and Copy Centre, Station Road, or alternatively via the website at www.horncastletreeoflight.co.uk.