'We watched Dr Kershaw’s Light Up a Life at our wedding'

Bride to be Kate Wilson’s wedding had to be postponed due to the second lockdown.

However, when she found out the rearranged date fell on the same day as the Dr Kershaw’s Light Up a Life event, she felt it was fate and decided to make the poignant event part of her big day.

Each year Dr Kershaw’s Light Up a Life service gives people the opportunity to remember their loved ones during the festive period, no matter their faith, culture or connection to the Hospice.

Those who make a dedication have a light lit in memory of their loved ones on the Hospice’s dedication tree as a symbol of remembrance and have a special place in Dr Kershaw’s Light Up a Life Book of Remembrance, with dedications this year also included on screen during the virtual service.

Kate, who was originally supposed to marry her fiancé, Iain Richards on November 14, instead had a small, intimate service with just 15 guests on December 6 at St Bartholomew Church, Marsden.

After the service, Kate and Iain had their first dance outside under the lychgate and then headed home for a takeaway and to watch Dr Kershaw’s Light Up a Life at 7pm.

Kate said: “By lighting the tealight, watching her name come up on the screen and seeing the tree light up, I felt so connected with Mum.

"It really did feel like she was there on our Wedding Day.”

Newly-wed Kate has a long history with Dr Kershaw’s Hospice as her Gran was cared for in the Hospice’s In-Patient Unit back in 1999.

Her Mum supported the Hospice by making a Light Up a Life dedication each year and signing up as a Hospice lottery member, until she sadly passed away recently.

Kate has since carried on the lottery membership along with the tradition of making a Light Up a Life dedication, this year remembering her Mum, Gran and Grandad.

Kate, now the newly-named Mrs Richards, said: “Perhaps it was fate that we had to move our wedding to the same day as Dr Kershaw’s Light Up a Life, so that Mum could be a part of our day too.

"I wore a necklace with Mum's ashes in, she was in our thoughts for the whole service and I'm sure she was watching us and smiling. 

"Light Up a Life means so much to me, dedicating a light in memory of my loved ones represents each person and having my wedding on the same night almost felt like my family were there with me.

"It made the whole day even more special, like the postponement first time round was meant to be so it could fall on that day.

"It was also the wedding anniversary of Iain's grandparents, so it was a very important date to him too.”

Mr and Mrs Richards are now looking forward to their first Christmas as newlyweds and have an exciting 2021 to look forward to with their first child due in February 2021 - a baby boy to be named after Iain's grandad, who the couple now share a wedding date with.

Despite the change in format for Light Up a Life, from a physical event to a virtual service due to the pandemic, Dr Kershaw’s Hospice are pleased to announce that they received a record-breaking £26,000 from the community in donations made in memory of loved ones - the highest amount ever received in the history of this poignant event.

Grace Carr, the Hospice’s Digital Marketing and Events Executive, has been responsible for planning the event from the start.

She said: “The physical event which previously took place at the Hospice has always been so well attended, so the concern from the beginning of planning a virtual event was that it wouldn’t have the same impact to the community.

"We have been, however, completely overwhelmed by the support from the community for our first ever virtual Light Up a Life Service, with over 1,200 dedications made to loved ones and over 3,400 households tuning in for our virtual event.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported Light Up a Life by making a dedication!

"It means so much to us to know that the event is so special to so many of you.

"It was so touching to hear that Light Up a Life made Kate’s big day even more special!”

If you missed Dr Kershaw’s Hospice’s Light Up a Light event it is still available to watch on the Hospice website, just visit: www.drkh.org.uk

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