THE Heart of Kent Hospice is adding another date and place to its annual Light Up A Life event.

The service, which remembers loved ones at Christmas, has taken place for 18 years, originally in the hospice grounds at Preston Hall, Aylesford, and more recently in Maidstone town centre.

This year the hospice is holding a second Light Up a Life service in West Malling High Street on Sunday, November 30.

The services, open to all, are followed by a candlelit procession to a Christmas tree. Memories of loved ones can be remembered by lighting a candle and also a light on the tree, which will last until January 6. Following the event a Book of Remembrance will be blessed and opened. The book will be available throughout the Christmas period and personal messages can be added to the names already remembered in the book.

Maidstone’s Light Up a Life service is on Sunday, November 23, in front of the Town Hall at 5.30pm. It follows the town’s Christmas Lights switch-on at 5pm. There will be performances by the choirs of St Francis and Allington Primary Schools.

The West Malling service on November 30 starts at 4.15pm and will feature the choirs from The More Park Catholic Primary School and West Malling Primary School.

Last year’s Maidstone event raised £17,000 for the hospice.

Hospice spokeswoman Jennie Hubbard said: “We felt it important to reach even more people throughout the wider community and invite them to take part in this uplifting service, which is why we have added the West Malling event this year.”