Place2Be raises over £117,000 at fourteenth annual Carol Concert

On Wednesday 6 December, Place2Be celebrated our fourteenth anniversary Carol Concert, in partnership with Cadogan. 

This year, we are proud to announce we raised a record-breaking £117,200, which will help us continue providing vital mental health support for children and young people across the UK. 

Hosted by BBC broadcaster, journalist and Place2Be Ambassador Kate Thistleton and award-winning musician, educator, author, broadcaster and Place2Be Ambassador YolanDa Brown, the festive evening took place in the beautiful Holy Trinity Church in Sloane Square, London. 

The guests entered the church to sound of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’, led by the church choir and accompanied by the wonderful Ark King Solomon Academy Choir. 

BRIT-nominated soprano Laura Wright moved guests with her breath-taking rendition of Nella Fantasia, as well as conducting the Ark King Solomon Academy Choir’s performance of Adeste Fideles.

Internationally-acclaimed singer and Place2Be Champion, Joe Stilgoe took to the piano and impressed with his musical medley during the concert, as well as a fun rendition of Christmas favourite ‘Jingle Bells’ with the support of his fellow readers and performers.  

The Ark King Solomon choir then went on to steal the show with their performance of ‘Jingle Bell Rock’, which received the loudest applause of the night.  

To kickstart the festive cheer, guests were treated to Christmas readings from our talented readers and guests: 

• ‘Notes from Home: Reflections on Christmas’ - Sophie Dahl, children’s author and Place2Be Ambassador 
• ‘Recipes for Christmas All Year Long’ - Giovanna Fletcher, author and podcaster 
• ‘Home’ - Jordan Stephens, writer and performer  
• ‘Finding Christmas’ - Keeley Hawes, actor and three-time BAFTA Award nominee 
• ‘The Christmasaurus’ - Tom Fletcher, bestselling children's author and musician  

Place2Be Ambassador, Rhys Stephenson, presented a fun-filled Nativity video featuring children from The Willows and Haveley Hey Primary Schools in Manchester. Last month, Rhys and Place2Be Champion, Evie Pickerill paid a special visit to the schools, where they were able to spend time with the pupils.  

Attendees heard about the impact of Place2Be’s in-school mental health support  on children and young people. Lyndsay Harris, Director of Pastoral and Inclusion at Ark, shared the academy network’s experience of Place2Be, and the positive changes that she has seen across Ark schools – including Ark King Solomon Academy - since working with Place2Be.  Ark King Solomon Academy has been a Place2Be partner school for eleven years, and in October we announced a network-wide partnership with the Ark multi-academy trust. 

The evening would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our Carol Concert Committee, led by Karen Howes and Penny Sainsbury. We are thrilled to have such a committed group working with us to make such a special evening possible. 

We’d also like to extend a massive thank you to: 

• Our incredibly generous sponsors Cadogan, Marshall Wace, Verve Concepts, Berkeley Estate Asset Management, Galliard Homes, Lodha, The Knightsbridge Estate, Sotheby’s International Realty, and all our advertisers.  
• The White Company, Sephora, Rare Beauty and all those who donated products to our Tree of Wishes. 
• The many companies and individuals who donated items to our luxury Prize Draw.