THE grounds of a hospice in Poole will be lit by candlelight next Friday as part of a special commemorative charity event.

Light Up a Life will be held at Lewis-Manning Hospice on Crichel Mount Road on Friday, November 27 at 7pm, as an opportunity for members of the public to remember their loved ones during songs, prayers, poems and readings.

The annual event, which is sponsored by local solicitors firm, Humphries Kirk, is open to everyone, including those with loved ones who are or have been cared for by the hospice.

People can join an optional candle lit walk starting at 6pm from the Sandbanks Cafe to the hospice for which candles and lanterns can be purchased in exchange for a small donation, ready to join the main service. Margaret Baker, a partner at Humphries Kirk, will read a poem by Sarah Purchase, a daughter of one of the day hospice nurses, before the lights on a tree donated by Continental Landscapes are switched on.

Paul Tucker, communications officer for Lewis-Manning Hospice, said: "Light up a Life is a time of celebration and reflection to remember the life of a loved one by dedicating a light in their memory and is one the most significant dates in the hospice calendar.

"The tree being illuminated during the service is not just as a special way to remember loved ones but also a symbol of our hopes for the future."

At last year's event at the hospice, Leah and Megan Hastings, the daughters of Lewis-Manning patient, Nikki Hastings, switched on the lights of the tree in memory of their mum who died of cancer aged 40.

This year's services will end with mince pies and mulled wine before a candle lit procession will return back towards the Sandbanks Cafe.

Lewis-Manning Hospice provides free care and support to over 700 people each year with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses through its day hospice, Lymphoedema Clinic and Better Breathing Clinic. The hospice also has 15 bedrooms which are being opened on a phased basis with plans to provide round-the-clock 24/7 care in 2016.

Anybody who would like to make a dedication for a loved one at Light Up a Life can use the form on this page send it to Light Up a Life, Lewis-Manning Hospice, 1 Crichel Mount Road, Lilliput, Poole, Dorset BH14 8LT or call 01202 708470.