Lighting up Pembridge

Sunday 4 December saw the Pembridge Hospice Charity host a special and moving remembrance ceremony in the grounds of St Charles Centre for Health and Wellbeing.

'The Light Up A Life' ceremony welcomed around eighty friends, families, carers and staff to come together and remember loved ones who have passed and were cared for at the Pembridge Palliative Care Centre.

On a chilly afternoon, the Pembridge Centre's spiritual advisor Martin McGonigle guided guests through the ceremony and was amply assisted by thirty-two children from the St Charles Primary School Choir who led everyone in singing a number of Christmas carols.

As the day's light faded and the ceremony drew to a close, the school choir held a candle each, sang 'Silent Night' and led guests away to where they were invited to witness the switching on of the Christmas lights outside of the Pembridge Centre. After the hospice was illuminated, guests were invited into the day centre to enjoy a mince pie and glass of mulled wine.

In the build-up to the event, families were invited to sponsor a Christmas light and a personally engraved wooden dove bearing the name of their loved one to take home afterwards.

Despite remembrance events taking place in the past at Pembridge, this ceremony was the first of its kind to be held. In future years the charity hope to build on the success of this event so that anyone in the local community who would like to honour the memory of someone they have lost, whether they were being cared for by us or not can be invited.

For more information about the ceremony, how you can get involved in future events at the Pembridge, and for more information about the Pembridge Hospice Charity, contact Nick Le Resche, Fundraising Manager.

Picture: Picture: guests at the ceremony listening to Martin's readings, with the school choir behind him.