FRIENDS and family who have lost loved ones gathered to light candles at a special Christmas memorial service.

Havens Hospices is holding its Light up a Life services all over south Essex to give people the chance to remember that special someone during the festive season.

Havens chaplain, the Rev Trevor Williams, gave a service in St Martin’s Church, in Basildon town centre.

Pupils from Lee Chapel Primary School sang at the service. Proud mum Donna Glyn, 43, of Rantree Fold, Basildon, was there to watch her daughter Jaimie Louise, six, perform.

She said: “It was a lovely service, I’m really glad we came. It was nice to get the children involved.”

The Griffin family travelled from Chelmsford to attend in memory of four-year-old Gabrielle, who died suddenly from an unknown condition in September last year.

Mum Lisa Griffin, 35, of Alan Way, Chelmsford, said: “It’s a special day and we light candles for Gabrielle.

“It helps to be with people who are going through the same thing.”

The candles lit at the service symbolise the light that the individual has bought into the world and are lit from one big candle in the middle of the church.

Names of people being remembered are also entered into a book.

Mr Williams said: “The service is a celebration of life.

“When you are bereaved it’s a very lonely experience. You can feel your are totally isolated. But when people come here and see lots and lots of others who are going through similar experiences it helps.

“It doesn’t take the pain away but it puts it into perspective. Every service, so far, has been full with between 200 and 250 people.

“At Canvey we had the service in the Knightswick Centre and there was a sea of people.”

There are six more services planned over the festive period with the next one in Rayleigh Baptist Church, Rayleigh High Street, on Wednesday, starting at 7.30pm.

The services will then take place in Rochford Congregational Church at 7.30pm on Friday, 4pm on Saturday in St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell, 3pm on Sunday at Basildon and Pitsea Crematorium and 7.30pm at St John’s Church in Corringham on Wednesday, December 17.