Locals are invited to remember their lost loved ones this Christmas by hanging a candle decoration in their memory in hospitals across Dorset.

The University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity has launched a memorial campaign “Light Up Our Tree” where anyone can donate and write the names of loved ones on a candle to be displayed at either the Royal Bournemouth, Christchurch, or Poole Hospitals over the Christmas period.

As Christmas may be a difficult time for those facing bereavement, it provides an opportunity for people to remember cherished families or friends they have last whether or not a loved one was cared for at the hospitals.

For 37-year-old Aimee Aldersley from Bournemouth and her twin sister, this will be the first Christmas without both parents. 

Her dad passed away in early January after seven months in 7 months in Critical Care, the stroke ward and the Acute Brain Injury Unit.  Her mother died two years earlier after living with Amyloidosis, Myeloma and kidney failure. Both parents were cared for by University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust.

She said: “Losing not just one parent but two in almost 2 years is unimaginable. We still can’t believe it. If you have ever lost a loved one and would like to show your support to NHS staff who help people like mum and dad every day, please donate today. Our irreplaceable memories are with us every day, but this candle will represent the light they have left behind in our hearts.”