Christmas is traditionally a wonderful time for families and friends - but it can also be especially hard for people who have lost loved ones either recently or in years past.

This Christmas we are publishing a special supplement during the festive season within which our readers can pay tribute to loved ones who have passed away and share treasured memories, photos and messages.

We have teamed up with East of England Co-op Funeral Services for the supplement which will be called Remembering Together This Christmas and will be available in copies of the Eastern Daily Press in mid December.

David Powles, editor of the Eastern Daily Press, said: 'Remembering Together This Christmas aims to celebrate the lives of family and friends no longer with us and we hope it will be a poignant, lasting tribute.

'If you would like to pay tribute to somebody special in the supplement then please send us your message along with a photograph of the person you are remembering.'

Andrew Dawes, head of the East of England Co-op Funeral Services, said the organisation had supported local families for more than 90 years, including hosting special services and projects to remember people at Christmas.

He said they were pleased to be able to extend this with the Remembering Together This Christmas supplement.

During the festive season East of England Co-op Funeral Services also runs the Tree to Remember project, which invites people to tie a message or memory on a tree at each of the East of England Co-op Funeral Services branches and carol concerts. It has seen thousands of messages left over the past decade.

To be part of the Remembering Together This Christmas supplement, send a photograph of the person you are remembering, along with your message or memory in no more than 40 words, to remembertogether@archant.co.uk by Sunday, December 3.

East of England Co-op Funeral Services will host a Tree to Remember carol service at Norwich's St Peter Mancroft Church on Tuesday, December 5 at 7.30pm.

Tickets are free but they must be booked in advance by calling the East of England Co-op Funeral Services team on 01603 850744 or visiting the St Stephens Square branch.