CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE

First hosted in 2016, our Christmas Carol Service has fast become a highlight of our fundraising year, bringing together friends, supporters and guests to celebrate the start of the festive season and the achievements of the charity over the year

Held at the stunning St Giles-in-the-Fields Church in the heart of London’s West End, the service features musical performances, readings from stars of stage and screen, and congregational carols, and is followed by a drinks reception with the chance to enjoy a glass of wine and a mince pie or two.

In the past the event has featured readings from stars including Brian Blessed, Felicity Kendal, Charles Dance and Sheila Hancock, as well as musical performances from gospel choirs Enchorus and the London International Gospel Choir, and young musicians/singers Felix Kemp, Katie Marshall, Millie Underwood and Matilda Lloyd.

The event has raised nealy £30,000 for the charity and has been featured by Tatler amongst the top Christmas Carol Services in London.

No event in 2023

Following disappointing attendances in the post-Covid years especially, without a main sponsor for this year and with family reasons also affecting the availability of Trustees we have decided to have a break from the Carols in 2023.

We know that for some this event is a fixture in the festive calendar so we are sorry for any disappointment arising from its absence this year but hopefully it will whet the appetite for 2024 and it can return with a full house again at St. Giles’s.

More than £4,500 raised in 2022!

Nearly 200 friends, supporters and special guests joined us at St Giles’ on Thursday 8 December for an evening of festive fun at our sixth annual Christmas Carol Service.

By popular demand we were joined again by the insanely talented classical singer Katie Marshall and London International Gospel Choir as well as by stars Sir Jonathan Pryce, Greg Wise and Adam James who entertained the congregation with their interpretations of various seasonal readings.

At the final count nearly £3,000 was raised from ticket sales after accounting for costs and sponsorship, plus a further £1,700 in donations on the night and since.

Christmas Carol Service 2021

After a hiatus of one-year owing to the Covid pandemic our Carol Service returned with a bang in 2021. Eventhough we were lower on numbers than normal, the London International Gospel Choir, soprano Katie Marshall and readers Charles Dance, Simon Callow and Giles Terera gave everyone present an evening to remember!

Christmas Carol Service 2019

Our fourth-annual Christmas Carol Service was a star-studded affair in the company of a stellar cast of readers, including Brian Blessed, Felicity Kendal and Colin Salmon, and more than 200 guests who helped to raise a fantastic total of £6,500.