Services are taking place across Dorset as part of Weldmar Hospicecare's Light up a Life appeal.

With readings and carol singing supported by local musicians and performers, the services provide an opportunity for people to remember their loved ones, whether or not they have been cared for by Weldmar.

Christmas trees will also be lit up, and lights can be dedicated to someone special who will be missed during the festive period.

Services will be held at Weldmar's Inpatient Unit in Dorchester on Tuesday, December 3, and at Hope Square in Weymouth on Sunday, December 8.

Other services are taking place in Abbotsbury, Gillingham, Wareham and Sherborne. All will be led by Weldmar's spiritual leader, Lucyann Ashdown.

The appeal is being supported for the fourth consecutive year by Dream Cottages, which will be providing refreshments at the Weymouth service.

Spokesman Hayley Oats said: "We have been proudly sponsoring the Light up a Life service for four years now. It's a very special time of year and an opportunity for the local community to come together and remember loved ones whilst also raising funds for such a valued charity."

Eco-friendly wooden stars can be purchased for £2 at each service. A message can be handwritten upon them before the are hung on the Christmas trees or taken home.

A Light up a Life service will also be held in Bridport for the very first time on Thursday, December 5.

Weldmar Hospicecare is a charity that provides end of life care for people living in Dorset and their families. Treatment is offered at patients' homes, in hospices and care homes, and in the community, with all services free of charge.

The charity works to enable patients to live as actively as possible while bringing relief from pain and other distressing symptoms.

For more details about the Light up a Life services, and to dedicate a light to a loved one, visit the Weldmar Hospicecare website or call 01305 261800.