January Newsletter 2026

Date published: 13 February 2026

Happy New Year!

The Guiding Lights Project Team welcomed 2026 with huge excitement and anticipation. After a year of planning and preparation, the year of the trail is finally upon us! Everything we talked about last year as something happening “next year” now feels real – and very close.

It’s already been a busy and inspiring start to the year. Highlights include an absolutely superb artist selection event, held against the remarkable backdrop of the Eddystone tank at the National Marine Aquarium, as well as our very first Beacons, Bubbles and Brush session.

We’re also delighted that the first of our merchandise has arrived! Look out for Guiding Lights branded tote bags, pin badges, postcards, and snap bracelets, all available now, with more merchandise to follow soon.

We hope you’ll enjoy reading all about these exciting developments in this month’s newsletter.

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Artists

Artist Spotlight: A Milestone Moment for Our Sculpture Trail

We recently celebrated a major milestone in our project with an unforgettable Art Selection event, held at the spectacular National Marine Aquarium. It was an evening dedicated to creativity, collaboration, and the shared vision that continues to bring this project to life.

Every artist who submitted a design put forward exceptional work, and the quality of the 93 shortlisted lighthouse concepts were truly inspiring. Guests and sponsors joined us to explore the full collection and choose the designs they wished to support. The diversity of artistic styles is exactly what will make the sculpture trail so special, and our sponsors played a key role in shaping the trail’s variety through their selections. Their choices will influence how visitors experience, interpret, and connect with these striking works of public art.

Over the coming months, we will see these sculptures take shape, becoming not just a beautiful piece in its own right but a part of a much bigger story, one that will attract visitors, spark conversations, bring people together and raise vital funds for St Luke’s Hospice.

Thank you to all the artists who submitted work, your creativity shone!

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Schools

We hope that everyone has had a good start to the Spring term. The Autumn term saw many visits to schools to talk to children about hospice care and the trial. We loved these visits and still have a few more to do throughout this month and next. This month we have been warmly welcomed at Compton C of E primary School, Hooe Primary School, Brunel Primary School, Knowle Primary School and Notre Dame School. The children have all listened with such care and compassion and demonstrated huge excitement for the Guiding Lights trail. Thank you to all those schools who have already set up their Just Giving Guiding lights Schools page. It’s a great way to track your fundraising journey and to share your participation with your communities. We have been blown away to see that some schools have already started to raise funds through their Just Giving page. Thank you hugely. These funds are vital to continue to support patients and their families with very specialised end of life care. We are so very grateful to you. If you would like to set up your Just Giving Guiding Lights Schools page, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/guidinglightsschools.

Please contact Sarah if you would like to receive the instructions again about setting up your Just Giving page.

On the 12th February, we are looking forward to seeing our Guiding Light leaders from schools and other organisations at our Inspiration event at Tinside Lido. A representative from Wild in Art will be there and will talk through advice with regards to decorating your Little Light. It will be lovely to see as many of our school and community group leaders there as possible.

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