For more than 40 years, The Story of Christmas has been a fixture in the property calendar and has raised millions of pounds for charity.
Over the years, the special carol service at St George’s Church in London’s Mayfair has seen celebrities and people from public life give festive readings together with spectacular musical contributions from St Paul’s Cathedral choir and the Band of the Scots Guards.
As it is not possible for the service to take place at St George’s this year, it has been pre-recorded and will be available on YouTube from 16 December.
This year’s readers include Graham Norton, David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Clare Balding and Tim Henman. The event’s life president, Dame Judi Dench, said: “The Story of Christmas is a wonderful start to Christmas, and we are delighted that, in these challenging times, we can share the event by bringing it to people’s homes and raise funds for charities that work with disadvantaged children, those with disabilities and the homeless. Their need is even greater this year.”
A silent auction will be hosted online, with lots including tea with Olivia Colman, lunch and a tour of the Private Eye office with Ian Hislop, a script from Downton Abbey signed by Penelope “Isobel Grey” Wilton and a watercolour by Dame Judi.
Click here to visit the auction bidding page.
Donations can also be made through the event’s JustGiving page.
No party? Donate to Xmas Party Heroes instead
Mark Hawthorn, chief executive of investor Landmark Group, has set up Xmas Party Heroes, a Christmas fundraising campaign asking businesses to donate funds from cancelled Christmas parties to charity.
The initiative has so far raised more than £1m, but with charities expecting an average 24% loss in funding this year, the campaign is calling on more businesses to get involved.
Xmas Party Heroes is backed by Barratt Developments, Property Alliance Group, Urban Splash, FK Group and Timpson.
Click here for more information and to donate.
