Horncastle's Tree of Light brings poignant festive glow

Now in its 13th year, the Tree of Light, run by the Lions and former members of Horncastle Rotary Club, is a poignant way to remember the loved ones by sponsoring a tree light in memory of someone who has died, either recently, or in the past, which are placed a living tree in Horncastle

The tree was lit in a poignant ceremony on Friday, December 16, and during the lighting ceremony, the 400 names of those being remembered were read out by spokesman Tim Peacock, and displayed on a Tribute List at the foot of the tree and on the Tree of Light website.

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, and this year £5,000 was raised.

A recording of the ceremony is available through the Tree of Light website at www.horncastletreeoflight.co.uk.

Spokesman for the Tree of Light committee, Tim Peacock, said: “This year’s Tree attracted around 400 tributes in remembrance of loved ones who are no longer with us - which is a truly heart warming response.

“In spite of freezing temperatures, the occasion was shared by a good number of donor families and friends.

"Thanks are due to those local businesses and organisations that either promoted the event or helped to meet the operating costs. It means that all the money donated in memory of loved ones can be passed on to the hospice charities.”