Customers travelling through Ebbsfleet Station this Christmas are being given the opportunity to remember a loved one by hanging an ellenor star on the railway station’s stunning new 12 foot Christmas tree. The beautiful ellenor stars include a section to write the name of somebody the customer is thinking about over the festive period, in return for a donation to the charity – which supports families facing terminal illness.
Catherine Ellis, Customer Service Assistant at Network Rail (High Speed) said she was touched by the ‘Lights of Love’ services which ellenor holds at Christmas to remember loved ones.
“At Ebbsfleet Station, four friends and colleagues have sadly passed away recently and this seemed like a perfect way for staff to remember them and for our passengers to dedicate a star to someone special on our new Christmas tree provided by High Speed 1,” says Catherine.
The care which ellenor provides to families facing terminal illness will continue 24/7 over the Christmas period. “We are so grateful to the staff and customers at Ebbsfleet Station for supporting ellenor at this time,” says Linda Trew, Head of Community at ellenor. “We know Christmas can be a difficult time for some people – particularly if a loved one isn’t there at this special time of the year, so we hope that the ellenor stars are bringing people some comfort. As a charity, not funded by the NHS, we are also extremely grateful for the donations.”
The stars have proved very popular since their launch. “Looking at the amount of stars on the tree and all the positive feedback we have received, this initiative promises to be a huge success,” says Catherine.
“Ebbsfleet Station is proud to be involved with ellenor this Christmas and hope the support we can offer will benefit many more families facing terminal illness”.