More than 300 people joined North London Hospice at its Finchley site for its annual Light Up A Life remembrance event.
The open-air event was staged outside the hospice’s Inpatient Unit in Woodside Avenue, providing an opportunity for the friends and families of patients to come together to collectively celebrate their lives.
The highlight of the evening on November 21 was the lighting of the tree. Each light is sponsored in memory of one of the hospice's patients, which this year raised almost £60,000 to support future patient care.
The ceremony included performances from the Finchley Catholic High School Choir and violinist Nigel Goldberg and a speech from Mark Abbott, whose late wife Karen, a midwife at Barnet General Hospital, was cared for by North London Hospice before she passed away from cancer in 2018.
North London Hospice chief executive Declan Carroll said: "Light Up A Life is one of the most significant events of the year for us and offers an opportunity for us all to pause, reflect and remember our loved ones. This year’s ceremony took on extra significance since it was our first in-person event since before the pandemic began.
"We are extremely mindful that the people we care for have loved ones, they have families, they have friends. This was shown throughout the event where our contributors shared their moving and deeply personal stories.
"It is only thanks to the support of our local community that we have been able to provide the best of life, at the end of life, for everyone."
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