A hospice is launching a five month long heart based art project culminating on Valentine's Day.

To coincide with Hospice Care Week on October 10, St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood will start the ‘I heart my hospice’ community art project.

Over five months people across the district will be asked to decorate hearts that will form part of one single, huge heart to be unveiled on February 14.

Sally Muylders, the hospice’s community engagement manager, said: “The Heart your Hospice community art project is about bringing together people from across our catchment area, and welcoming them to find out more about their hospice, and what we can do for them.

"Many people see the ‘hospice’ as just one building near Harlow, but we believe a hospice is also a very special way of caring, and connecting with people, which reaches far

beyond the four walls of our centre in Hastingwood.

"We want St Clare to be a place which is supporting people, and connecting with them, wherever they are and whatever stage of life they are at, not just at the end of their life.”

An Open Hospice event to launch the art project takes place on October 10 from 9.30am to 12pm at St Clare Hospice, Hastingwood Road.

The Heart your Hospice art project will also be touring around West Essex and East Herts over the next few months.

Ms Muylders will be able to deliver a myth busting hospice awareness workshop to your community group and introduce the art project.

Call Ms Muylders on 01279 773709 or email sally.muylders@stclarehospice.org.uk to book a place.

To download a heart template go to stclarehospice.org.uk/heart-your-hospice