The Poole-based charity, Forest Holme Hospice, which provides specialist end-of-life care to local patients living with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, has partnered with the Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole. The centre will house the charity’s iconic remembrance tree for three weeks during the run up to Christmas.
From Monday December 3 to Wednesday December 19, local shoppers will be able to visit the Dolphin’s Eco Hub, which is located in the lower mall of the shopping centre, and hang ‘Light up a Life’ stars on the tree in memory of someone special, in exchange for a donation towards the charity.
Volunteers will be there daily from 10.30am – 3.30pm with a stall selling hospice Christmas Cards and merchandise, while there will also be entertainment on selected days, including performances from the Wessex Chorus and Rising Voices Wessex choirs.
Anne Currie, Forest Holme Hospice charity manager, commented: “We are absolutely delighted that the Dolphin Shopping Centre has agreed to accommodate our tree this year in the Eco Hub. The location means that shoppers and visitors to the Dolphin can easily pop-in to make a dedication for a loved one. Christmas can be a difficult time for those who have lost someone special, so our tree is an opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of those who are sadly no longer with us, irrespective of whether they were cared for by Forest Holme or not.”
Last year the tree raised nearly £5,000 for the Forest Holme Hospice Charity, which supports the hospice by providing £500,000 each year to fund specialist care for patients living with advanced cancer and other life limiting illnesses across Poole, Wimborne and the Isle of Purbeck.
Anne added: “We’d like to thank everyone who kindly donate to the stand, all our wonderful volunteers for manning it and all the team at the Dolphin’s Eco Hub for making us so very welcome. We would also like to extend our thanks to local supporters Karen and Martin who kindly donated the tree from their garden and Ian at Coppice Tree and Garden Services who generously removed the tree and transported it.”
The Eco Hub is based in the lower mall of the Dolphin Shopping Centre by Starbucks and is a creative space with an eco-inspired décor. It is open to local stakeholders and the community to run activities relating to sustainable practice and wellbeing.
John Grinnell, centre manager at the Dolphin Shopping Centre, commented: “We’re pleased to welcome Forest Holme Hospice to our Eco Hub for their Light up a Life campaign. We’re passionate about supporting the important work this charity undertakes to provide specialist care to those living with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.”
For more information about the Dolphin Shopping Centre, visit www.dolphinshoppingcentre.co.uk