THEY’VE been offering a beam of hope to patients and their families for 20 years and now fundraisers at St Luke’s Hospice are preparing to literally light up their building.

The Basildon hospice has launched its Make St Luke’s Shine appeal in celebration of its 20th anniversary year.

And in a bid to raise much-needed funds, workers from the hospice, have come up with an illuminating idea.

They are asking people to make a donation to the hospice and its valuable work and, in return, they will put lights along the perimeter of the hospice grounds and also on the hospice building itself.

Allison Jones, fundraiser from the hospice, said: “For each £2,000 we raise we will be lighting a section of our perimeter hedge and hope to be able to light the whole hospice at an event in September.

“The perimeter lights will only be on for a limited time period each evening between June and September – people will then be able to see the progress of the campaign as they drive by.’’ Anita Whelan, a fellow St Luke’s fundraiser, added: “We are aiming to raise about £10,000. The majority of this will be used for the care of our patients.

“The lighting campaign has been sponsored by Npower and Intergen.’’ St Luke’s now needs the help of the local community to make the dream of lighting up the hospice a reality.

Anita added: “Twenty years of serving the local community is well worth celebrating and making the hospice shine out is tribute to our success.

“Everyone who makes a donation will receive a certificate and have their name printed in a special anniversary donation book to be kept in the hospice library.”

l Donations can be sent to the hospice in an envelope marked Make St Luke’s Shine Campaign, Nethermayne, Basildon SS16 5NJ. For details, call 01268 524973.