The life of a much-loved person can be celebrated in a very special way this Christmas.

Three Dorset hospices are joining together, backed by the Daily Echo and Advertiser, to give you the chance to Light Up A Life.

In a unique venture Julia's House, Lewis-Manning Hospice and Forest Holme have launched a special campaign.

Each will have its own Christmas tree on which residents can remember a loved one by sponsoring a light, supporting the work of the three hospices.

"It's about remembering and hope for the future and bringing people together," said Nasreen El-Mariesh, communications and fund-raising manager for Lewis-Manning Hospice.

Their tree will be in the grounds of the day hospice in Crichel Mount Road, Poole. "It's bringing back the spirit of Christmas. That's why we do it at this time of year," she said.

A donation can be for any amount and any number of loved ones can be named on the voucher, which will appear in Thursday's editions of the Daily Echo and Advertiser.

A Book of Remembrance will be displayed at Poole's Dolphin Centre, where the campaign was launched, and every name published in an Echo supplement on December 19.

To help promote awareness Lewis-Manning has had its own Tree of Lights for more than 10 years, and Forest Holme in Seldown Road, uses the Poole Civic Centre tree, thanks to the Mayor of Poole.

Debra Dennett, fundraising co-ordinator for the Friends of Forest Holme said: "In our individual campaigns we really reached the people who are our supporters and have had personal experience of our own individual hospice and work.

"Today, working together, we can reach out to the wider community." Forest Holme offers specialist palliative care and is part of the Dorset Cancer Centre at Poole Hospital.

Joining them for the first time is Julia's House, Dorset children's hospice at Springdale Road, Corfe Mullen, whose tree is in the Dolphin Shopping Centre's main mall.

"We have the opportunity here to offer families of children who have passed away at Julia's House the chance to remember a loved one in this way," said Gavin Fisher, deputy chief executive.

"It is open to the whole community and people of all faiths," he said.

Each charity will be holding its own tree light-up ceremony and service and the money raised will be split equally between the three hospices.

Neal Butterworth, editor of the Daily Echo & Advertiser Series, said: "We are delighted to be working with three excellent local causes to help people pay tribute to friends and loved ones.

"We hope that our readers will support the campaign."