Light up a Life

Celebrating the lives of people we love and miss

Make a dedication

Shine a light in memory of your loved ones this winter

Light up a Life invites you to celebrate the people you love and miss by taking some time out at the busiest time of year to reflect and remember. Everyone is welcome to join in and remember someone in this special way, whether or not you have a connection to St Oswald’s Hospice.

We hope that taking part in Light up a Life will give bring you some peace and comfort this winter.

Make a dedication

Useful links

Make a dedication this winter
Make a dedication every winter
Book your tickets to our Light up a Life Celebration event

Dedicating a light in memory

To say thank you for your kind donation to St Oswald’s Hospice, you’ll receive a personalised card bearing the name(s) of those who you are remembering.

This year’s card has been specially designed for Light up a Life by Stacey McNeill from Fox Under the Moon. It’s a beautiful and poignant way to remember a loved one, in her distinctive style and we hope you love it as much as we do. We will also send you a star decoration to hang on your own tree at home.

A light will also sparkle on our ‘Tree of Lights’ outside the hospice, which will be switched on during our Light up a Life Celebration event.

Making your dedication online is the quickest way to donate and receive your card, and saves the hospice money. Please make your dedication before Monday 1st December if you would like your personalised card(s) to arrive in time for Christmas.

Make a dedication this winter Make a dedication every winter
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Light up a Life Celebration Event

Thursday 4th December 2025 | Doors open 6.00pm | Service starts at 7pm

Light up a Life is a remembrance service, hosted by St Oswald’s Hospice Spiritual Care Lead, Davina Radford. The event will take place at Event Northumbria at Northumbria University, Newcastle City Centre.

Everyone is welcome to join this special service of music, reflection, and readings, ending with the Christmas tree lights switched on in memory of loved ones. Tea and coffee will be served. Places are limited, so please book early.

This year, we have introduced a small charge for adult tickets at £5 per person plus an Eventbrite booking fee, with under 18s free. This change helps us continue hosting this special event while responding to the financial pressures currently facing St Oswald’s Hospice. We hope you understand that this decision was made with care and consideration, and is essential to ensure Light up a Life can continue to support our community and raise vital funds for patient care. If you have any questions or would like to speak with someone, please visit our website or contact our team on 0191 246 9123.

For those unable to make the event in person, we will be streaming it live on the night for you to watch from home.

Book your tickets

Online Memory wall

Our Light up a Life online Memory Wall features the photos of the loved ones you are remembering.

We’d love to add a photo of your loved one(s) to our Online Memory Wall, a version of which will also be displayed at our Celebration Event. Please email a photograph and your loved one’s name(s) to MemoryWall@stoswaldsuk.org so we can add them.

Please note: All photos must be received by Monday 1st December 2025 to be included at the event. Unfortunately we cannot return any hard copy photographs we receive.

View the online Memory Wall
Mary & Rob at NUFC

Remembering Rob

Rob and Mary, both Newcastle United season ticket holders, met in a bar after a match in 1999. They were inseparable from that day on. The pair became engaged 4 years later and loved going to watch football and music gigs together.

Mary said: “We got on so well and liked being in each other’s company.”

Read Bob and Mary's story