Andrew Miles

18/12/20

Christmas joy shone out from Livability’s online Christmas Celebration this year, with people supported by Livability sharing favourite festive songs, a lockdown poem – and even some cheesy Christmas jokes.

Going digital in this unusual year meant many more people with disabilities could take part from the Livability service where they live, including Nash College in Bromley and Livability care homes in Yorkshire, Wales and Essex.

The packed programme featured celebrity guest Pam Rhodes, presenter of the BBC’s Songs of Praise, as host for the evening, with TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh sharing a poem, Church of Englan Minister Haydon Spenceley giving a reading and a superb musical performance from Classical Reflection.

Supported by staff, people who are cared for in Livability services gave a glimpse of the festivities in their home, with tree-trimming at Livability Birchwood and people from our Burnham-on-Sea service sharing a poem they had written.

‘This for me was one of the most special and memorable Christmas celebrations I’ve been part of, after what for all of us has been an extraordinary year in ways we would rather not repeat ,’ said Livability CEO Sally Chivers. ‘Some of our adult care and our education services are located a significant distance from London which means they have, unintentionally, less opportunity to participate. For that reason it was an absolute joy that we could virtually travel to them! I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part and made this event so special.’

If you’d like to join in, the Celebration is available to re-watch now, free – just click here. If you would like to make a donation to Livability’s work, please visit www.livability.org.uk/angels