Lights will shine brightly on a Stafford charity’s Christmas tree once again this year as part of an annual celebration.

Katharine House Hospice will decorate their Christmas tree with around 3,000 lights which will be sponsored in memory of loved ones as part of their annual Light up a Life appeal.

The charity has been running the appeal for more than 20 years as a way for the community to remember their loved ones and help fund the vital work they do.

The money raised from donations go towards providing free care for patients with life limiting conditions to enable them to live life as fully as possible and make the most of the time they have, as well as supporting their loved ones.

The 25-foot tree was generously donated by Treeway Fencing Ltd with MMS Marketing sponsoring its lights for the 20th consecutive year. It forms the focal point of this annual event, which sees local people celebrating the life of someone special, as a light shines in their honour.

Supporters who dedicated a light will receive a card bearing the name of their loved one and are invited to a special Light up a Life service on Sunday, 10 December at 5 pm, when the lights will be switched on and they can view their loved one’s name in the Book of Lights.

Director of Care David Fletcher said: “Christmas is a reflective time of year and we know how difficult it can be without the ones we cherish most. Our grief doesn’t diminish but we can grow around it to remember our loved ones, and the time we spent with them, with fondness.

“Your donations will help us continue providing our vital care services to local people and their families who may be spending their last Christmas together. It costs £3.7 million each year to provide our care and we really couldn’t offer this without your support.”

Katharine House Hospice relies on the generosity of the local community to help generate 75% of funds needed to run its range of vital services for adults across Mid-Staffordshire.

You can find out more about the Light up a Life appeal by calling the fundraising team on 01785 270808 or by visiting www.khhospice.org.uk, where you can also sponsor a light online and add your loved one’s name, a message and an image to their virtual tree.