Last night all over the world our supporters tuned into YouTube to watch Virtually Christmas, our online Christmas carol concert. This year we could not bring our supporters together in St Luke’s Church in Chelsea or St Mary’s Church in Harefield, but we were able to bring our supporters together online to celebrate Christmas and look back at an unbelievable year for the Charity.

From Royalty to Strictly, the stars came out to celebrate Christmas with our supporters. This year we were very pleased to welcome some very special guests for the concert. Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie read from Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Dame Sian Phillips, star of I, Claudius, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Strike, read a passage from St John’s Gospel. Strictly Come Dancing star Lance Ellington sang his unique version of Jingle Bells.

Virtually Christmas also featured beautiful renditions of festive classics from Fortis Voices, our very own patient choir Singing for Breathing Zoom based recording of Feliz Navidad and Harefield Primary School choir singing Jingle Bells.

Additionally, there were readings from patient Steven Pursey and Noel De Keyzer of Savills, who kindly sponsored the event. There were prayers and readings from The Reverend Prebendary Dr Brian Leathard of St Luke’s & Christ Church, Chelsea, Reverend Martin Davies of St Mary’s Church Harefield and Reverand Mairi Lovett Senior Chaplain of Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust.

Gill Raikes, Chief Executive of Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity, said:

We were delighted to host Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and our other special guests for Virtually Christmas. Our NHS colleagues have been working hard this year treating Covid-19 patients as well as patients with a range of other heart and lung conditions and we’re so pleased that their hard work is acknowledged. All the money raised from Virtually Christmas will go towards providing our NHS colleagues with state-of-the-art equipment so that they can keep saving lives.

All the funds raised will go towards supporting staff and patients at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals via our Life in Focus and Lifeline Lab appeals. Both appeals are raising funds to provide state-of-the-art imaging equipment to cath labs at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals respectively.

Everyone at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity wants to say a big thank you to everyone who came to Virtually Christmas. We hope that you all enjoyed coming together to celebrate Christmas online.

We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.