STAFF at St John's Hospice in Wirral are overwhelmed at the instant response to the launch, in last week's Globe, of this year's 'Light Up a Light for a Loved One' - a simple, yet deeply moving and immensely personal method by which members of the public can remember special friends this Christmas.

"The response has been truly tremendous," said Helen Crawford, Appeals Manager at St John's, on Thursday afternoon.

"The Globe has been out a little more than 24 hours, yet the telephone has never stopped ringing and we are still opening envelopes containing the special coupon published in the newspaper. We are quite simply overwhelmed!"

'Light Up a Life for a Loved One' is being organised at St John's Hospice for the third successive year; the previous two events were so highly successful that they resulted in traffic chaos on the roads leading to the site at Clatterbridge Hospital! Trees in the Hospice Gardens will again be illuminated with hundreds of lights, which will be officially switched on at a Carol Service, featuring members of the Salvation Army Band, on Sunday, December 6 at 6.30pm. The lights will be on morning and evening until Twelfth Night.

"We have been so touched by the tide of human kindness that has flowed in from the public for what is clearly an emotional and, at the same time, a happy event," said Helen. This year's 'switch-on' has been moved from a Thursday to a Sunday evening on police advice.

"So many people turned up the first year that we had a huge traffic jam, although everybody was thrilled to be there," said Helen. "Last year was not quite so chaotic because lots of people came early, but the police suggested that a Sunday would be the ideal day and we have taken that advice on board."

She added: "It also means that it will be possible for more children to attend and we do hope that parents will bring their young ones along to share in this opportunity for people to Light Up a Life - a light in remembrance of those we love; lights which will lift the hearts of our patients, staff and visitors over the Christmas period."

For sponsorship of five pounds, members of the public can have one light donated either in memory of a loved one or as a Christmas gift for a relative or a friend.

Everyone who sponsors a light will have the name of their loved one or friend entered in a Book of Honour, which will be kept in the Hospice Chapel, and also receive a card bearing both their own name and the name of the person the light is for. Business sponsorship (50 pounds per light) is also welcome.

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