Julie’s House hosted its annual Carols by Candlelight event in St James’ Church in Poole last Thursday.
The charity put on the event to raise awareness and money for the charity as well as bring Christmas spirit to all those involved.
The night consisted of singing from three choirs, special guest readers, hymns and complimentary mince pies and mulled wine at the end.
Julia’s House is a children’s hospice offering support for seriously ill children and their families in Dorset and Wiltshire not just at the end of their lives but lifelong.
These children need 24-hour care for their complex and often rare medical conditions, which puts huge amounts of pressure on their families, Julia’s House wants to be there for every family.
One of the choirs performing was The Julia’s House Choir. The choir brings people together from all over the charity from volunteers, nurses and to the children themselves.
Sarah Gwin, the media coordinator for the charity, said: “We are hoping to raise around £5000 from this event, which is great and will help the families a lot.”
The choir showcased their new single and music video Silent Night which features Vamp star James McVey and local star, Matt Black also known as the Piano Man.
Matt Black said “This track is great to listen to. If people are getting enjoyment and helping the charity, there is a double edge to it.
“It feels great to be a part of such a great cause.”
Heartfelt words have been written for the verses of Silent Night by the Chief Executive, Martin Edwards, who sheds light on the round-the-clock care provided to families at their hospices in Corfe Mullen and Devizes.
Julia’s House Choir also performed a revamped version of the festive classic The 12 Days of Christmas.
Martin Edwards, the Chief Executive of Julia’s House, said: “We gave our first showcase of the song 12 days of Christmas, each gift being something that the charity provides.
“We had so much fun tonight, we have been able to tell the audience about our care, to persuade them to support us next year to help more children who need us.”
Other choirs such as the Sound of Soul and Yarrells School sang to help bring the Christmas spirit to the evening.
A film was showcased at the event which showed the story of one of the children called Addy. She has been diagnosed with Batten disease which is also known as childhood Dementia. This has stolen her ability to walk and eat and it’s likely to be the last Christmas she will be able to see.
The ticket sales, any donations and the song revenue all go towards the charity to help children like Addy and her family.
Lucy Holt, Reverend of St James’ Church, said: “It’s been inspirational seeing and hearing the stories of the children tonight. Listening to the reading and the carols has been very special and heartwarming- a great start to Christmas.”
The evening came to a close with a massive round of applause and the crowd sharing mince pies and mulled wine.
If you want to donate to Julia’s House or want to get involved you can visit Juliashouse.org/legacy.
