CHRISTMAS has been made extra special at care homes across York and North Yorkshire thanks to a great bunch of people.
The Big Christmas Care Singalong – an online concert to celebrate the social care sector and bring people together this Christmas is expected to be watched by thousands of people in care settings across the country and abroad and this year with York and Scarborough the stars of the show.
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The hour-long online concert celebrates all those who live and work in social care with the video being broadcast in care homes, hospitals, hospices, and people’s own homes across the festive period.
The singalong first came about in December 2020 when families were unable to visit loved ones in care homes so it was put together with videos from people all over the world to give a feeling of togetherness in an effort to tackle loneliness among vulnerable people.
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The ‘play as live’ event, which is returning for its third outing this year, has been spearheaded by well-known York singer Big Ian Donaghy, who is a dementia campaigner and advocate for the social care sector and author of Dear Dementia, A Pocketful of Kindness and The Missing Peace.
Ian and friends from everyLIFE Technologies put the hour long special together to celebrate those who live and work in care.
After a resounding success the support of the organisation continues again this year.
Previous years have been watched by thousands of people who live and work in the social care sector, with viewers coming from the UK and further afield in Australia, New Zealand and even Venezuela.
This year’s online Singalong is set to be bigger and better, with Big Ian and his team creating a festive feast to remember.
This year’s show features the communities from Happy Futures in Eastfield as well as staff and residents at St Cecilia’s in Scarborough.
Angela Fletcher of Happy Futures said: “Music is so important to our individuals. Big Ian has brought his band to play to perform with our individuals and so to have them all feature in this beautiful Christmas special is so exciting for all of our community. We will enjoy watching it together. I can’t wait to see their faces as they are the stars of the show.”
Many of the live performances were recorded at Hornington Manor near York where he assembled a dream team of Graham Hodge, Emily Lawler, ex-Journey South X-Factor finalist Carl Pemberton, Steve Cassidy and Samantha Holden who performed an array of festive favourites.
The free-to-watch concert will feature care home residents and team members performing their favourite Christmas songs -some good…some shocking but all included and wishing festive cheer to all, across the country.
Viewers will also hear a full one man brass band performance of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’, arranged and performed by one of the UK’s most recorded musicians, Johnny Thirkell. Johnny has previously recorded with the likes of Tina Turner, Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue, George Michael , Phil Collins and Bruno Mars.
It also features performances from as far afield as Norway and South Dakota.
“People with hearing aids may wish to turn them down for some sections of the show,” said Big Ian as he warns not every performance is of the same quality.
“This is fully inclusive with an age range from 3 to 103 as it also features children from Tiddlywinks nursery in Osbaldwick.
"Everyone is included in this hour Dementia nor learning disabilities should stop us. If we don’t include people we exclude them and last time I looked music is for everyone!”
The singalong will be available to watch on-demand at www.thebigchristmascaresingalong.com now and available all over the Christmas period.
Duncan Campbell, director at everyLIFE Technologies said: “The Big Christmas Care Singalong is quickly becoming a Christmas staple for those who live and work in social care sector.
"Its unique ability to bring people together, particularly in the wake of COVID-19, was a quality everyLIFE Technologies admired and fully supports. We’re proud to have partnered with Big Ian to create this year’s concert and look forward to seeing its positive impact up and down the country and furtherafield.”
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