LIGHTS of love will be shining across Worcester when the annual St Richard’s Hospice Christmas tree lights are switched on on Friday, November 13.

The Lights of Love evening will begin at Worcester Cathedral at 7pm, when people can gather and reflect before a candlelit procession to the Christmas tree in nearby St Andrew’s Spire, Deansway, for the switching on of the Lights of Love with BBC Hereford and Worcester’s Tony Fisher. Readers can dedicate a light for love – whether in memory of a loved one, celebration of a birth or for someone who will be absent this Christmas but is still in your thoughts.

For a donation, a light will shine on the St Richard’s Hospice Christmas tree throughout December. St Richard’s Hospice senior community fund-raiser Alison Parkes said: “The lighting of the tree is a lovely event. Last year, lights were dedicated to more than 2,000 names and the tree looked magnificent.

“With such great support we raised £25,000 towards the work of the hospice – this is a magnificent sum.

“These services are deeply appreciated by the hundreds of people there – many are the families and friends of people who are, or who have been, cared for by St Richard’s.”

On Thursday, November 19, there will be another Lights of Love at 5.45pm at St Andrew’s Church, Droitwich, then a switch-on at the tree in Victoria Square. On Tuesday, December 15, an event will also be held at the Priory, Malvern, at 6pm.

The names of loved ones will be displayed on the boards around the tree in St Andrew’s Spire and in a Book of Thanksgiving in Worcester Cathedral, Malvern Priory and Droitwich Library in December.

Donors will also receive a photo decoration for the Christmas tree at home. The dedicated names will be printed in your Worcester News on Thursday, December 24.

To make a dedication, fill in the form in tomorrow's Worcester News. Further forms are available from strichards.org.uk/lightsoflove or telephone 01905 763963.