Dear Friend,

My name is Dolores Sweeney and I’m part of the care team here at Northern Ireland Hospice. It is my privilege to invite you, your family and friends to join us on Tuesday 19 December for our annual Lights to Remember celebration.

I have worked at the Hospice as a social worker for 14 years now; in fact, I started as a volunteer here two years before that! In that time, I have met families from all over Northern Ireland, from all walks of life. I have seen how the hospice care that we offer to all has enabled incredible, positive moments of togetherness and achievement, even in a patient’s very last days and hours.

Lights to Remember is when we take time to think about those people who are no longer with us. 

Our special Lights Celebration Event commences with refreshments at 6.30pm at Dominican College, Fortwilliam Park, Belfast, BT15 4AP on Tuesday 19 December; the celebration itself begins at 7.30pm.

Here, we’ll gather for a short service of readings and favourite Christmas carols. Then, we’ll give everyone their very own battery-powered candle and together we’ll walk the short distance to our new Hospice building on Somerton Road.

It is my hope today that you would consider making a donation to help pay for the care that our team will be providing over this coming Christmas and New Year.

One hour of complete care from our team on the In-Patient Unit over Christmas will cost £25. A typical Hospice at Home visit by a specialist nurse, helping to keep a family together for Christmas, will cost £53.82. 

Overall, we’ll need to find £300 to fund each patient’s care for every 12 hours over the holidays. A gift from you, of whatever you feel appropriate, would help to give local people in their final days the expert care we’d all want for our own loved ones. 

Thank you, in advance, for anything you are able to give.