Light Up a Life 2025: A night of reflection, remembrance and community

On Monday, we came together for our annual Light Up a Life celebration,  a truly moving evening of reflection, remembrance and community.

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The multi-faith service was held at St John’s Wood Church, followed by a warm and welcoming reception at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Guests enjoyed delicious food and drinks, alongside entertainment from the Rock Choir.

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It was heart-warming to see so many members of our community gathered in one place, including supporters, faith leaders, hospice patients, volunteers, and staff. Together, we took time to honour the memories of loved ones who are no longer with us, while also celebrating the people who continue to bring light into our lives.

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We are delighted to share that over £21,000 was raised through this year’s event. This incredible total will directly support admissions to our Inpatient Unit, helping us continue to provide compassionate, specialist care to patients and their families when they need it most.

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We are so grateful to everyone who helped make the evening such a success. From those who attended and donated, to our faith leaders, readers and volunteers. Our sincere thanks also go to Lord’s Cricket Ground for hosting us in their beautiful grounds, and to our event sponsor, Westminster City Council’s Abbey Road and Regent’s Park Ward Budgets, for their generous support.

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A special thank you to the religious leaders who took part in the service: Father Hugh Mackenzie, Reverend Dr Anders Bergquist, the Ansari Qadiri Rifai Sufi Order, Kirit Wadia, Mandip Singh, Rabbi Dr Alexandra Wright, and Canon Kevin Jordan, as well as our readers, Dr Reem Samir and Michelle.

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Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this year's Light Up a Life such a meaningful evening.

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Light Up a Life will return once again in December 2026. In the meantime, you can learn more about other ways you can support St John's Hospice while remembering and celebrating the life of someone special, please visit www.stjohnshospice.org.uk/get-involved/give-in-memory.

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