The First Sounds of Christmas With Rainbows

Rainbows Children's Hospice is inviting people in and around Leicestershire to begin the Christmas season with them at the Christmas Concert on Thursday, 4th December at 7.30pm at St James the Greater in Leicester.

The evening will comprise of a wonderful selection of traditional and modern Christmas music performed by Stoneygate School Band, Avenue Primary School Choir, Hall Orchard Recorder Group, Humphrey Perking High School and the Rainbows Staff Choir. The compare for the evening will be BBC Radio Leicester presenter, Dave Andrews.

There will also be a chance for you to sing along to your favourite carols. All this will be followed by delicious mince pies and fruit punch.

By coming to the event you will be helping children like 15 year old Joshua Jacombs. Joshua has a condition called Neurodegenerative disease which means he requires specialist care 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Josh has a spectacular smile and, although he cannot speak, he manages to get his point across and he also has a very cheeky giggle! He needs to use his wheelchair at all times and always has an adult around to meet his needs. He loves the opportunity to get out of his chair and have a roll around. He really likes music and always enjoys his stay at Rainbows whilst his parents take a well deserved break.

Rainbows provide respite, palliative and terminal care for over 250 life-limited children and their families each year. Respite care is particularly important to families with children requiring 24-hour care and benefits families within the Leicestershire area.

Tickets are £7.50 each. To purchase your ticket please call Emma Lovegrove on 01509 638 006 or visit www.rainbows.co.uk.

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PHOTO: Joshua getting into the festive spirit!

For more information contact: Scott Lea, Marketing and Communications Manager
t) 01509 638 062 e) scott.lea@rainbows.co.uk w) www.rainbows.co.uk

• Rainbows is the only Children's hospice for the entire East Midlands region
• At Rainbows we smile, we play, but above all we provide a stimulating and loving place, where families affected by the challenge of limited life can find refuge and understanding
• Each year it costs over £2.6million to keep Rainbows running
• Almost 90% of our funding comes from donations and involvement from the East Midland's community and businesses
• We offer specialist respite stays, symptom management, life improvement and end-of-life care for children and young people
• When a child stays at the hospice they receive one on one care. Nowhere in the NHS provides this care despite it being essential for many parents
• Rainbows first opened its door in 1994 as the East Midland's only purpose-built children's hospice
• A crucial appeal is currently underway to generate funds for a significant extension to Rainbows' facilities. £4mil is needed to fund the expansion. Once complete, the extended Rainbows Hospice will also be able to care for young adults whom we normally have to turn away