Copyright thesouthernreporter
This festive season the recently rebranded NHS Borders Health Charity is asking for people to once again come together and join in with this year’s Tree of Light. Everyone is invited to make a dedication to remember or celebrate someone special, it could be to welcome a new life or to thank someone who has made a difference to you. Your dedication can include a personalised message and photograph which will be added to the virtual Christmas tree. Each dedication will receive a handcrafted decoration in the post – while stocks last – for you to hang on your own Christmas tree or gift to those you are celebrating. Over the past nine years the donations made to Tree of Light have raised thousands of pounds to enhance patient care. In this tenth year, money raised will help to fund gifts for patients who find themselves in hospital over the Christmas period. Donations will also go towards providing other patient comforts that help make someone’s time in hospital a little easier. The Christmas tree lighting ceremony is once again set to feature as part of the NHS Borders Christmas celebrations on Tuesday, December 2. Refreshments will be served from 6pm in the Chaplaincy Centre at the Borders General Hospital, followed by the big switch on and Christmas carols by the tree from 6.30pm. Karen Hamilton, Chair of NHS Borders and NHS Borders Health Charity said: “It is incredible to think that we have been doing Tree of Light for ten years now. "It is wonderful to have a Christmas tree at the hospital, but it is even more special that we have been able to turn that tree into a symbol of hope, celebration and of remembrance for so many people. "My first Tree of Light ceremony was in 2019 when I took over as Chair and this will sadly be my last, however it has fast become one of my favourite events of the year. "We are thrilled to have reached this ten year milestone and are grateful for the support of the public who have helped us get here and raised so much for our patients in the process.” She added: “A special thank you goes to the Galashiels craft group “Crafty Dafties” who have again, for the fourth year running, kindly given their time and resources to create our beautiful handcrafted decorations. "We would also wish to thank Five Star Taxis in Galashiels for their kind support of this campaign.”
