Glasgow Hospitals Concert

Almost £10,000 raised for young cancer patients through donations after Glasgow Christmas concert cancelled

Despite having to cancel the concert in 2020, due to the pandemic, The Glasgow Hospitals Christmas Concert Committee, made up of dedicated volunteers has raised £9229 for CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people, and their families. The annual concert usually raises around £25,000 for CLIC Sargent, but when the impact of the coronavirus pandemic was becoming clearer on charities, and the events industry, the Glasgow Hospitals’ Christmas Concert committee got together to come up with innovate ways to continue fundraising for the charity, without a physical concert. The committee managed to organise the creation of a children’s Christmas story, a Christmas appeal video and the selling of virtual Christmas trees. Ken Thomson, chair of the committee said: “I’m delighted to say our fundraising was a great success and I want to thank all the Glasgow Hospitals’ Christmas Concert choir members who got behind our efforts, and were so generous with their donations as well as getting their families and friends involved too. We also want to extend special thanks to Tunnocks for their continued generous support, Alistair Digges for his video contributions, and Catriona Hendry and Mandy Sinclair for writing and illustrating a beautiful children’s Christmas story, ‘Jack Saves Santa’, which we were able to sell online with all profi ts going to the charity.” “2020 was due to be the 42nd annual concert, in aid of CLIC Sargent. The choir features both active and retired NHS workers, some who have been involved since the beginning. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been a great support to the concert and we are so proud to continue to have that special relationship. Cancer turns families’ lives upside down and it’s so important that CLIC Sargent is there to support young cancer patients and their families, when they need it most. It feels great to be doing our bit to help this amazing charity reach those families.” Last year in Glasgow, CLIC Sargent supported 289 families, giving out 162 fi nancial grants to the value of £32,420, helping families to cope with the costs of cancer. The Cancer Costs report from the charity found that families with a child on active treatment spend an extra £600 a month. Carol Jones, CLIC Sargent Fundraising Engagement Manager for South & West Scotland, “When cancer strikes young lives we fi ght tirelessly to limit the damage it causes beyond their health. We rely entirely on donations to fund our vital work and so we can’t thank the dedicated Glasgow Hospitals’ Christmas Concert committee and choir members enough for their fantastic efforts. “Thanks to their hard work and everyone who donated, we will be able to help even more young people thrive not just survive after their cancer diagnosis.” The committee is hopeful that the concert will return for 2021 at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 10 December. Tickets will go on sale later in the year so keep an eye on the ‘CLIC Sargent in Scotland’ Facebook page for future announcements www.facebook.com/ clicsargentinscotland. For more information about CLIC Sargent’s work, go to www.clicsargent.org.uk PHOTO: 2019 concert at The Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow - featuring Sally Magnusson and Aitkenhead Primary School (Uddingston), while Sally recited the Christmas poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’