Issuu

Leaf from an Antiphonary with Historiated Initial (H) with The Nativity (recto) and Music (verso), early 1300s. Italy, Tuscany, 14th century. Ink, tempera, and gold on parchment; sheet: 53 x 38 cm (20 7/8 x 14 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1953.285

The 46th Presentation

The Story of Christmas 126–130 Regent Street, London W1B 5SE info@socappeal.com socappeal.com

Patrons King’s Letter Chairman’s Message Artistic Director and CEO’s Message

7 9 17 19

Foundation Partners Allsop Aquila CBRE Colliers Delancey G.A Group GSA John F Hunt JLL Knight Frank Landsec Leander Nuveen PwC SEGRO Sir Richard Sutton Limited Sir Robert McAlpine Skanska William Hare Group Platinum Sponsors Shaftesbury Capital Soho Estates Charitable Projects 2023 Ambassadors 2023 Silent Auction Live Auction The Story of Christmas Cookbook

63 71 75 79 82

Gold Sponsors Cushman & Wakefield Derwent London Dominus DTRE Eastdil Secured Eversheds Sutherland Gowling WLG HKA Hollis The Howard de Walden Estate Kajima Lazard Linklaters Lovell M7 Martin's Properties RICS Saltgate Tritax Waterman Silver Sponsors ActivumSG Barwood Beck Bohill Partners Boreal British Land Cadogan Clipstone CMS CoStar Group FTI Consulting Gerald Eve GPE Hammerson Helical

Jo Cowen Architects London Metric M&G Martin Grant Homes Moorfield Group Mount Anvil Orion Persimmon The Portman Estate Quadreal Rightmove Schroders Capital Stonebond Corporate Benefactors Kreston Reeves Personal Donors Alexandra & Paul Anthony Nick & Debbie Barton Anthony & Amelia Braddon James Braddon & Alice Minns Terence & Grainne Brown Simon Camamile Stephen Casey Henry Cecil Richard Croft Sarah Davies James Dunlop Joseph England Grace Everett Ross Fenwick Robert Fowlds Henry Franklin Trevor & Elizabeth Gore Lady Goswell Paul & Kay Goswell Henry Hammond

Nick & Lucy Howe Andrew & Deborah Hynard Paul Jackson Paul Langmead Chris & Pippa Meares Tim & Marijke Sketchley Alex & Mole Smith Sir David & Lady Sutton (Gay) David & Susie Turner Stephen Vernon Gerard Vertsteegh Paul White Ian Womack & Madeleine Cosgrave Howard Woollaston Supporters In-Kind City & Essex EG Grosvenor Ruinart L.G. Wilkinson Mandarin Oriental One Digital Oracle Creative Sheraton Grand Six Senses Choir, Band and RNR St George’s Hanover Square Readers 2023 Sponsors Logos The Story of Christmas 2024

179 187 189 206 210

Patrons

Patron The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally dbe, Lord Bishop of London Life President Dame Judi Dench ch dbe frsa President Ian Hislop Deputy President Aled Jones mbe Board of Trustees Ian Womack, Chairman Emily Bohill, Vice Chair Tony Chambers Nick Howe Andrew Hynard Tim Sketchley David Sleath obe Lady Sutton (Gay) Founder Trustees Andrew Braddon obe Michael Fraser David Turner Howard Woollaston Artistic Director & CEO Marc Corbett-Weaver Honorary Treasurer Zoe O’ Brien Company Secretary Rory Graham Fundraising Committee Emily Bohill, Chair Marc Corbett-Weaver, Artistic Director & CEO Tony Chambers Nick Howe Andrew Hynard Tim Sketchley David Sleath obe Gabi Stein Ian Womack Tim Vallance Robert Walker

Patrons

Auction Team Marc Corbett-Weaver Victoria Lloyd-Jones Duncan Moir George Walker Honorary Vice Presidents Andreas Antona Benedict Cumberbatch cbe Joanna David Edward Fox obe Freddie Fox Dame Joanna Lumley Martin Jarvis obe The Revd Roderick Leece Jeremy Paxman The Rt Hon Michael Portillo Mike Souch Dan Stevens Executive Vice Presidents Peter Bill Anthony Braddon Nigel Chism Amanda Clack Sue Clayton Jo Cowen Paul Davis Meenal Devani Kaela Fenn-Smith John Forrester Andrew Frost Tony Horrell Richard Jones Vivienne King David Mann Peter Mantle Ian Marcus obe Adrian Mc Alpine dl Sir Andrew Mc Alpine The Hon David Mc Alpine Michelle Mc Grath Duncan Moir Gary Murphy Matthew Nesbit Heather Porter George Roberts Tim Robinson Martin Samworth Stephen Vernon

The Story of Christmas Ambassadors 2023 Joseph Smith (Bohill Partners) Emilia Angell (Bohill Partners) Emily Barclay (Carter Jonas) Irfaan Khaliq (CMS) Alex Bootle (Colliers) Ivana Neskovic (CoStar Group) Sara Murias (CoStar Group) Ros Day (CoStar Group) Claudia Harley (DTRE) James McNeilly (LaSalle) Alex Barnes-Batty (JLL) Chrissi Ayre (JLL) Robin Culshaw (Lazard) Ben O’Neill (PWC) Colette Sharp (SEGRO) Pauline Benson (Sir Robert McAlpine) Lucinda Collier (Sir Robert McAlpine) Anisha Parikh (Skanska) Richard Mosek (William Hare) Production Team Ness Norman Tessa Kilgour Allasonne Lewis James Saunders Sue Sinclair Kathleen Sweeney Accountants Kreston Reeves LLP Honorary Solicitor Rory Graham

Band of the Scots Guards and The Household Division Fanfare Trumpeters Conducted by the Director of Music, Major Evin Frost play by kind permission of Major General James Bowder obe Major General Commanding The Household Division The Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, Dean Andrew Carwood mbe, Director of Music William Fox, Acting Organist and Assistant Director of Music Martin Ford, Sub Organist Alexander Knight, Organ Scholar Angela Palotai, Music Department Administrator Ushers & Naval Guard of Honour HMS President, Royal Naval Reserves appearing by kind permission of Commander Laura Harrison vr rnr The Story of Christmas Order of Service Designed by G.A Group Printed by One Digital (Digaprint Ltd t/as) Floral Displays Thrive Floristry sponsored by Sir David & Lady Sutton (Gay) Readers Reception L G Wilkinson sponsored by L G Wilkinson Ambassadors Reception Sponsored by JLL Hosted by Lady Haworth (Suzie) Lady Sutton (Gay) Christmas Trees Shoots and Leaves The Story of Christmas Reception Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London The Story of Christmas Charity Auction Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London and online via Givergy and The Story of Christmas website sponsored by Allsop George Walker, Auctioneer Champagne Ruinart of LVMH Logistical Support Kindly provided by the staff of Allsop, Bohill & Partners, JLL, Knight Frank & Kreston Reeves

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke & Duchess of Gloucester

Dame Judi Dench ch dbe frsa Life President

Ian Hislop President

Aled Jones mbe Deputy President

The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally dbe Lord Bishop of London

Councillor Patricia McAllister Lord Mayor of Westminster

On behalf of the Trustees it’s my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the 46th presentation of The Story of Christmas. We are privileged to enjoy this wonderful start to the Christmas period but perhaps more important is to remind ourselves of the purpose of the charity. That is to raise funds for capital projects benefiting the young and the homeless. It’s with this in mind that I‘m delighted to tell you that last year we raised the highest amount ever - in excess of £820,000. An astonishing achievement which is down to the generosity of you, our Sponsors and Donors. As I write this message, the funds raised so far this year are ahead of where we were at the same time last year. Fingers crossed for a repeat, or even better year. Thank you all so very much. Some of our Foundation Partners nominated individuals from their organisations to support the Ambassadors Programme. They have had another fantastic year raising over £80,000 and by all accounts had a lot of fun in the process. Long may this continue! As ever, the list of people to thank is long. I will start with our President, Ian Hislop, our Deputy President, Aled Jones, and our Life President, Dame Judi Dench. They have all given so much to the charity in so many ways over a very long period of time and continue so to do. We are enormously grateful. May I also thank our terrific celebrity readers without whom there would be no event. St George’s Hanover Square is our home and I again thank the Revd Roderick Leece and his Churchwardens for their continuing support.

Chairman's Message

I’ve mentioned the fantastic sum raised last year, much of which is down to the hard work of our wonderful Fundraising Committee and the Vice presidents. Thank you so much for all you do. We were delighted to welcome Rob Walker to the Fundraising Committee this year and Vivienne King and George Roberts as Vice Presidents. Next, may I thank Marc Corbett-Weaver our Artistic Director & CEO and the amazing team of volunteers. Year on year they do a fantastic job and I’m sure 2023 will be no exception. Finally, I’m very sorry that Tim Sketchley is retiring as a trustee. Tim has been involved with the charity for decades and a Trustee for the past ten years. He has made an enormous contribution and we have hugely benefited from his great ideas and wise counsel. He goes with our deepest thanks and I know I speak for the Trustees when I say that I hope he remains involved. I look forward to seeing you all at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel, where I hope you enjoy the reception and, perhaps more important, will bid generously on the wonderful range of auction lots to create another record-breaking year. I wish you and yours a happy and peaceful Christmas and a healthy and successful 2024. Ian Womack Chairman The Story of Christmas

Dear Friends Last year, the 45th Presentation of The Story of Christmas broke all records raising £820,000 - the highest ever today in the event’s history. We begin its aftermath early this year in a very difficult economic climate that continues affect many of our supporters. It is heartening therefore to say that our total preevent is now over £700,000 and we hope that more will be raised at the reception tonight. This was the second year of our new Ambassadors Programme. 17 younger people from sponsoring companies have been raising funds for the charity throughout the year through a range of brilliant initiatives. Their total stands at over £80,000 and we are hugely grateful for all they have been doing. We hope they will enjoy tonight’s event. At the reception you might like to bid in our Live and Silent Auctions, buy a copy of The Story of Festivities (our new cookbook created by three of our Ambassadors) and also buy a beautiful hand painted bauble. We hope you enjoy being serenaded on arrival with music on the staircase, Miss Ballooniverse’s amazing balloon sculptures and Jamie Warren - our magician - and his magic tricks! Our Charity Sub Committee helps me vet the many applications we receive. We are proud this year to be supporting sixteen fantastic capital projects that benefit both the homeless and disadvantaged and disabled children around the UK. We continue to work with Starlight to provided boxes of toys to children’s hospitals across the UK and are also helping the Ukraine crisis, via two UK-based charities.

our sparkling cast of celebrity readers. We are grateful to all performers – and to the Royal Naval Reserve, acting as ushers, the teams of graduates supporting us from Allsop, Bohill Partners, JLL, Knight Frank and Kreston Reeves, and indeed to The Revd Roderick Leece and everyone at St George’s Hanover Square for their enormous help, hospitality and support. I would like to thank everyone at G.A Group for creating a very wide range of materials for us throughout the year. We are grateful to Oracle Creative too for their support with our website. Our friends at SEGRO help with social media and the PC Agency kindly assist with press and PR. Once again, we are filming tonight’s carol service and releasing the video online on Sunday 17 December via our website – for everyone to enjoy. We hope its viewers will consider supporting our JustGiving campaign. GPE’s generous provision of a charity office enables a great cost saving to our charity for which we are hugely grateful. Earlier this year we held a very useful launch event at McKinsey. We are grateful to everyone there fore hosting such a special evening and to those who kindly contributed towards it, including our special friends at Bohill Partners. Dame Judi Dench hosted a dinner to thank our Foundation Partners in October, which was very generously supported by Sir David & Lady Sutton and their friends at the Athenaeum hotel. I am enormously grateful for the help of all our wonderful volunteers, without which The Story of Christmas simply would not happen. Ness Cowdrey and Tessa Kilgour deserve a very special mention – as they have once again both been a great tower of strength throughout the year.

Our arrangement with the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel is an extremely generous one. I do hope you will enjoy their amazing hospitality. Not only are we grateful to our friends at Mandarin for everything they are doing for us tonight - but they have donated six valuable auction lots too.

Thank you to each and every one of you who is part of The Story of Christmas, this year and tonight. I wish you a joyous evening. I hope you will be inspired by what you have helped create and achieve – and I wish you a wondrous Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous year in 2024!

Tonight we are thrilled to have with us the Band & Fanfare Trumpeters of the Scots Guards and the Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral performing a magnificent feast of festive music. I hope you will be charmed by

Marc Corbett-Weaver Artistic Director & CEO The Story of Christmas

Artistic Director & CEO's Message

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And fill’d all the stockings; then turn’d with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle: But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight.

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

We would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year.

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

Aquila

Seasons of Joy

CBRE wishes you a joyful festive season and a prosperous New Year. May the warmth of the season unite us in embracing diversity, and honouring the traditions that make this time of year special to all.

DELANCEY. NOT A TY PICA L PRO PE RTY IN V E STO R Delancey · 2 Fitzroy Place · 8 Mortimer Street · London W1T 3JJ Tel + 44 (0) 207 448 1448 · Fax +44 (0) 207 448 1449 · www.delancey.com

Season’s greetings from the G.A Group

Proud to support The Story of Christmas Appeal

Harrods Credit: Tony Fisher

Shangri-La Qiantan Credit: Shangri-La Qiantan

Atlantis The Royal Credit: Atlantis the Royal / Brandon Barre

+44 (0)20 7482 0054

london@thega-group.com

1 Hotel Mayfair Credit: 1 Hotel / Jon Day Photography

Luxury Hospitality & Residential Interior Design • Concept Architecture • Masterplanning • Product Design • Branding

W Taipei Credit: W Taipei

www. thega-group.com

London Hilton on Park Lane Credit: Nick Smith / London Hilton on Park Lane

@thega_group

Celebrating together this festive season. Global Student Accommodation wishes you a very successful and enjoyable evening and is delighted to continue to support The Story of Christmas 2023 Appeal. gsagroup.com

Demolition

Generator Rental Ground Remediation

Fuel Distribution

Pumping Solutions Heavy Plant Hire

Water Technology Concrete Cutting

Site Machinery

Civil Engineering

Asbestos Abatement

Tool Hire

Commercial Cleaning

Industrial Dismantling

Lifting Gear Hire

Asbestos Consultancy

Nuclear Decommissioning

IT Support & Security

Industrial Workwear

Structural Engineering

Concrete Structures

Privileged to Support Young and Homeless People through The Story of Christmas Appeal

For a better world. As long-standing supporters of The Story of Christmas, JLL is pleased to be associated with this worthwhile cause. Wishing everyone all the best for the festive season.

jll.co.uk

WE ARE DELIGHTED

TO B E SUPPORTING

THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS

Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year from everyone at Landsec.

We’re proud to be continued supporters of The Story of Christmas.

Sustainable places, Connecting communities, Realising potential.

W E A R E D ELIGHT ED TO S U PPORT T H I S V E RY S P E C IA L OCCAS IO N AND TA KE TH IS OP P ORTU N I T Y TO WIS H A L L OU R F R IE NDS A V E RY H A PPY C H R IS T M A S

P E AC E ON E ART H, GOODW I LL TO ALL ME N

Venice - Adoration of shepherds from Chiesa di San Zaccaria

LEANDER CAPITAL LIMITED TELEPHONE: 0208 290 5588 EMAIL: admin@leanderholdings.co.uk International Investors and Developers in Real Estate, Residential, Sports and Leisure LONDON

.BERLIN .EDINBURGH .FRANKFURT . ZURICH

Investing to make an enduring impact on our world

Nuveen is proud to support The Story of Christmas Appeal 2023. Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season.

nuveen.com/realestate

Nuveen provides investment advisory solutions through its investment specialists.

923800 GAD-3115194CR-O1023X

PwC are proud to support

The Story of Christmas 2023

BABY, IT’s COLD OUTSIDE The Story of Christmas Appeal supports a range of deserving charitable projects – focusing on the homeless and disadvantaged children – both during the Christmas period as well as throughout the year. IT’S AN EXTRAORDINARY organisation and one that we are very proud to be associated with. Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas, and a happy and successful 2024.

SEGRO.com

@SEGROplc

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

Sir Richard Sutton Limited

We build for a better society.

As one of the world’s largest construction companies it is our responsibility to shape sustainable places that support local communities, organisations, and charities that surround these. We care about the communities where we work and strive to find ways to involve them in our projects and support their ambitions, and that is why we are proud to support The Story of Christmas Appeal. Season’s greetings from everyone at Skanska.

https://bit.ly/3bW0faK

www.hare.com

William Hare Group is proud to support the valuable work made possible by The Story of Christmas Appeal

100 Liverpool Street, London

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

Shaftesbury Capital

Charitable Projects 2023

Beyond Autism Beyond Autism has been providing invaluable support and enriching experiences to autistic children, young people and their families since 2000. The charity is expert in working with children and young people with autism and makes breakthroughs in communication that dramatically improve a child’s ability to make sense of a confusing world. Its soft playroom and sensory rooms are at the heart of the school and provide a truly fundamental contribution to children’s learning and development. These rooms are designed to help an individual, with sensory issues, learn to regulate their brains’ negative reactions to external stimuli by developing coping skills for these experiences. However, since installation and being much loved by the learners and utilised frequently, the soft play and sensory rooms are now in need of a serious upgrade, which The Story of Christmas is funding. beyondautism.org.uk

Centrepoint Centrepoint is the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity. Centrepoint’s vision is to end youth homelessness by 2037, so that no person born as from 2021 will experience the downward spiral of homelessness when they turn 16. Centrepoint believes that every young person should be supported to have a home and a job, regardless of their background or start in life. Sadly homeless young people face huge obstacles to moving forward. The current housing situation, made even worse by the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, is trapping young people and preventing them from moving on to the future they deserve. Working together with The Story of Christmas, Centrepoint wishes to change this. Together, they will transform accommodation for young people in London, providing safe, warm and well-equipped homes. These homes will enable young people who have experienced homelessness to take their first steps towards living independently, and empower them to look forward towards a safe, happy and successful future. centrepoint.org.uk

Charitable Projects 2023

City Harvest City Harvest is an emergency food charity. Every week it rescues over 100 tonnes of surplus food from the food industry and delivers it, free of charge, to 375+ London charities feeding people facing food poverty. City Harvest’s partner charities include: after school clubs and breakfast clubs supporting children who would otherwise go hungry during the school day; homeless shelters supporting rough sleepers; food banks; and, domestic abuse refuges. The Story of Christmas is funding a crucial expansion of City Harvest’s Acton warehouse, implementing a new racking space and mezzanine floor. This project will enable the charity to store enough food to make an additional 50,000 meals in its depot, allowing City Harvest to deliver over two million meals a month to some of London’s most vulnerable people. cityharvest.org.uk

Firebird for Schools Firebird for Schools is a tailor-made concert for children at schools where provision for education in music is limited, which introduces them to the magical world of live orchestral music. The concert takes place at St George’s Hanover Square and features the London Firebird Orchestra – an orchestra of prizewinning young musicians from the major London conservatoires – with a celebrity narrator. The Story of Christmas is supporting Firebird for Schools in 2024. londonfirebird.com

The Kids Network The Kids Network is an award-winning mental health charity that provides tailored early-intervention for 8-11 year olds who face the most pervasive barriers to accessing the support they need. Through partnering with primary schools in nine underserved London boroughs, it reaches out to children in need through a programme of 1-2-1 mentoring. Its volunteer mentors, young professionals from the local community, work with children over the course of a year to help them build confidence and resilience and realise their potential. Mentors receive extensive safeguarding and mentoring training. The training is embedded in a trauma-informed and child-led approach to ensure the wellbeing of the child and the greatest impact. Since 2016, the charity has matched over 1,000 little Londoners with mentors, providing them with enriching and life changing experiences. With the help of The Story of Christmas, The Kids Network looks forward to reaching 1,000 more children over the next three years. thekidsnetwork.org.uk

The Passage The Passage’s vision is that of a society where street homelessness no longer exists, and everyone has a place to call home. Based in the heart of Westminster, it provides practical support and a wide range of services to help transform the lives of people who are experiencing, or at risk of, street homelessness. Passage House Assessment Centre, one of its residential and resettlement projects, provides accommodation, assessment and resettlement services for up to 37 people at any one time. Residents have half board meal service which includes breakfast and a hot meal in the evening prepared by the Centre’s in-house chef. The menu is healthy, hearty, and nutritious and caters for all dietary requirements or food allergies. The Story of Christmas is funding the much needed renovation of the kitchen at Passage House. The provision of healthy nutritious meals offers physical and mental health benefits, and encourages residents to remain at Passage House for the duration of the assessment process, engage with their case workers and other services. Residents will ultimately find their own route off the street and into their own accommodation. passage.org.uk

Charitable Projects 2023

Place2Be Not every childhood brings happy memories. Place2Be provides mental health support in schools, enabling children and young people to cope when facing adversity. Place2Be’s counsellors based within schools reach children experiencing problems such as bullying, bereavement and anxiety, and clinically improving their mental health. The Story of Christmas is funding the refurbishment of 10 Place2Be therapy rooms in London, upgrading the rooms with a focus on representing the wonderfully diverse school communities Place2Be serves. This means children will access therapeutic toys, books, art materials and posters which reflect their lives and support their wellbeing. place2be.org.uk

Restore the Music Restore the Music UK is a low overhead/high impact charity addressing the systemic inequality in the level of music provision in state schools, specifically those in areas of high socio-economic deprivation. Founded in 2017, Restore the Music UK is a vital resource in the fight to address the lack of social cohesion and mobility nationwide by opening up transformative opportunities and multiple pathways to all young people through music education. With the increasing struggle to stretch school budgets to accommodate rising poverty levels, RTM funding is in high demand. To date, grants totalling £1.8 million have been awarded nationwide with a total reach of 80,000+ young people. With the help of The Story of Christmas, RTM looks forward to extending funding to reach 1000s more young people and helping them to overcome the barriers which hinder their future journey. restorethemusicuk.com

Single Homeless Project Single Homeless Project has 47 years’ experience in helping Londoners in crisis and supporting those who have experienced homelessness to find a place they can call home and to live a fulfilling life. With funding from The Story of Christmas, SHP will create eight medical rooms and install 15 defibrillators within their hostels specialising in supporting people directly off the streets and who suffer from complex needs. Medical rooms will offer a clinical, safe and confidential environment to deliver a breadth of health services including nursing, GPs, podiatry, HEP C, sexual health, substance misuse and mental health services. These in-house medical rooms will remove multiple barriers, including stigma, fear and judgement, enabling clients to access health services they have not accessed for years, allowing SHP to diagnose and provide lifesaving medical treatment for serious health concerns. The defibrillators will further reduce medical emergencies and loss of life, with clients much more susceptible to cardiac arrest than the general public. shp.org.uk

St Christopher’s Fellowship St Christopher’s Fellowship provides fostering, residential and support services for children and young people to ensure they can be safe, loved, happy, achieve, succeed and realise their dreams. The two homes, The Story of Christmas will be supporting, provide a nurturing environment for young people, who will usually have come through the care system and may have experienced adversity as a result of sexual abuse, neglect, family dysfunction, loss or other trauma. At the homes, they find a safe space to develop their independence. They stay for two–six months (up to a year if needed) while it helps find them a permanent home and helps them prepare for the future. The homes are split into individual and shared flats and face a fair amount of wear and tear. The Story of Christmas’s support will help refurbish the flats and kitchens and buy some new furniture to make their accommodation more homely. stchris.org.uk

Charitable Projects 2023

St Martin-in-the-Fields: 18 Keys Project Many hostels and refuges for people who have been living on the street lack the facilities where their specific needs can be met. The shortage of specialist provision for women is particularly acute. Women in this group are unlikely to reach their 43rd birthday. The 18 Keys Project, lead by St Martin-in-the-Fields Trust, provides a great opportunity to transform an existing hostel in London into a model of its kind for women who have experienced the trauma of long term street homelessness. On the site of the hostel, there are 16 self-contained studio apartments where The Story of Christmas is helping the charity create a new communal kitchen and living space, a one-to-one therapy room, therapeutic garden and two additional studio apartments. This new facility will be able to provide safety for up to 750 women through the course of each year. 18keys.org

Starlight Starlight uses the power of play to improve the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of seriously ill children in NHS hospitals, hospices or receiving care at home. Treatment in hospital can have a devastating impact on children’s mental health if their needs are not met. Research – and children – tell us that everyday play opportunities reduce the fear, pain and trauma of treatment. With the support of The Story of Christmas, Starlight will be able to bring joy and fun to children's wards across the UK by reintroducing a Pantomime tour and associated play activities. Following a three-year hiatus due to Covid, the programme uses the benefits of distraction therapy and art and entertainment in hospital. Starlight will also commission a Virtual Pantomime which can be streamed to thousands of children in healthcare settings or at home. starlight.org.uk

Transform Housing & Support Transform Housing & Support is a specialist housing and support provider to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Its young persons’ services support vulnerable young people who present with complex and often multiple needs, the vast being care leavers. Transform works to provide a safe and secure home which is welcoming and a psychologically-informed environment that promotes wellness. The Story of Christmas support will benefit clients providing fresh, new, modern kitchen and bathrooms at a number of Transform’s shared properties. This will ensure that young people have a place where they feel safe, secure and welcomed where they can grow and develop skills to continue their journey towards independence. transformhousing.org.uk

West London Mission KPH WLM KPH is an independently-approved home for young men leaving the criminal justice system. It aims to ensure that residents can begin to reintegrate safely and constructively into the community. The Story of Christmas’s help will create a space that demonstrates that residents at WLM KPH are valued and will play a significant role in enabling people to move forward positively with their lives, by refurbishing bedrooms and kitchenettes, bathrooms and communal living areas. wlm.org.uk

Supporting the Ukraine Crisis: The Story of Christmas is mindful of the tragedy and loss caused by the Ukraine crisis. It is supporting two initiatives to help, both started in 2022. In collaboration with the UK charity Opora, it is funding the provision of warm clothes packs to Ukrainians fleeing the crisis and re-settling in this country. Working with another UK charity, Baby Basics, The Story of Christmas is supplying items of equipment to Ukrainian families re-settling with children – such as prams, cots, high chairs, push-chairs, etc. opora.uk – baby-basics.org.uk Charitable Projects 2023

Ambassadors 2023

Joseph Smith Bohill Partners Emilia Angell Bohill Partners Emily Barclay Carter Jonas Irfaan Khaliq CMS Alex Bootle Colliers Ivana Neskovic CoStar Group Sara Murias CoStar Group Ros Day CoStar Group Claudia Harley DTRE James McNeilly LaSalle Alex Barnes-Batty JLL Chrissi Ayre JLL Robin Culshaw Lazard Ben O’Neill PWC Colette Sharp SEGRO Pauline Benson Sir Robert McAlpine Lucinda Collier Sir Robert McAlpine Anisha Parikh Skanska Richard Mosek William Hare

Ambassadors 2023

We would like to say a massive thank you to The Story of Christmas Ambassadors 2023. Our 17 Ambassadors this year - taking part in the programme’s second year - have been working throughout the year helping our fundraising by launching brilliant initiatives. They have raised over £80,000!

Ambassadors 2023

Silent Auction Sponsored by Allsop

The Story of Christmas Silent Auction opened on Wednesday 6 December and will close at around 11.30pm on Wednesday 13 December. Support the charity by placing your bids now on some of the stunning lots at: www.socauction.com

Silent Auction

Live Auction Sponsored by Allsop

At tonight’s reception a Live Auction will take place featuring an array of high value lots, on the main stage from around 9.30pm. Full details are viewable at www.socappeal.com/live-auction-2023 We hope you will dig deep and support the charity.

Live Auction

Add a Dash of Compassion this Christmas The Story of Festivities is a wonderful collection of recipes from celebrities, celebrity chefs and supporters of The Story of Christmas. All the funds raised from the sale of the book will help support a broad and diverse range of charitable projects, benefitting the homeless and disadvantaged children. socappeal.com

Including recipes from Heston Blumenthal obe honfrsc Kevin Bonus Richard Corrigan Dame Judi Dench ch dbe frsa James Dugan Adam Handling Ainsley Harriott mbe Henry Harris Mark Hix mbe Ian Howard Aktar Islam Nisha Katona mbe Ángel León Gearóid Lynch

Anton Mosimann obe dl Jamie Oliver obe msi Andrew Pern Felix Petrucco José Pizarro Michel Roux Jr. Tony Singh mbe Rick Stein cbe Eran Tibi Chavdar Todorov Mitch Tonks Francisco J. Torrico Patricia Trijbits Marcus Wareing Joe Wicks mbe

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

Cushman & Wakefield

Derwent London is delighted to support The Story of Christmas

derwentlondon 25 Baker St. W1

Dominus is proud to support the valuable work made possible by The Story of Christmas

Wishing you health and happiness for you and yours this festive season from all of us at

dominusrealestate.co.uk

I N D U S T R I A L | O F F I C E S | S C I E N C E & T E C H N O LO GY

Proud to support The Story of Christmas Appeal We wish everyone a very happy and peaceful Christmas Eversheds Sutherland Helping our clients, our people and our communities to thrive.

© Eversheds Sutherland 2023. All rights reserved. Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP are part of a global legal practice, operating through various separate and distinct legal entities, under Eversheds Sutherland. For a full description of the structure and a list of offices, please visit www.eversheds-sutherland.com DTUK004860_11/23

Gowling WLG is delighted to support The Story of Christmas Gowling WLG is home to one of the world’s strongest multi-disciplinary real estate legal teams. We’re committed to providing you with timely, practical advice to help you meet the demands of customers, partners, regulators and investors.

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Gowling WLG (UK) LLP is a member of Gowling WLG, an international law firm which consists of independent and autonomous entities around the world. Our structure is explained in more detail at gowlingwlg.com/legal

is proud to support the

Story of Christmas 2023

HKA is a leading global consultancy in risk mitigation, dispute resolution, expert witness and litigation support services.

Hollis is proud to support The Story of Christmas Wishing you season’s greetings and an enjoyable evening

hollisglobal.com

The Howard de Walden Estate is proud to support The Story of Christmas

hdwe.co.uk

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

Kajima

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

Lazard

Christmas cheer. The Linklaters Real Estate team is proud to support The Story of Christmas 2023. Wishing you all a wonderful evening.

linklaters.com

*** Office of collaborative alliance partner Webber Wentzel ∆ Linklaters Shanghai and Linklaters Zhao Sheng (joint operation office with Zhao Sheng Law Firm)

Enhancing Communities Showing we care sits at the heart of everything we do at Lovell Whatever we deliver – whether new build, regeneration or retrofitting existing homes – as developer or contractor, Lovell is committed to working with our communities to build a better tomorrow. That’s the Lovell way.

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Sometimes the least obvious real estate produces the longest lasting returns M7 Real Estate proudly sponsors The Story of Christmas and sends Season’s Greetings to all M7RE.EU

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

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The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

Saltgate

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

Waterman

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

ActivumSG

Sophisticated investors.

Barwood specialises in UK regional real estate investment and development. We offer sophisticated investors access to a diverse range of investment opportunities, across all sectors, consistantly delivering double digit returns. 80% of our investors re-invest with us.

www.barwoodcapital.co.uk

01604 369100

This document has been issued and approved by Barwood Capital Limited (‘BCL’) for publication to Professional Investors or Retail Investors who qualify as one of the following: Elective Professionals, Certified High Net Worth Investors, Certified Sophisticated Investors or Self-Certified Sophisticated Investors. BCL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (‘FCA’) (Firm Reference Number 517641). This document is not intended for distribution in any jurisdiction where its publication would be unlawful. This document is not an invitation to invest, please refer to the information memorandum. Where past performance and historic data are quoted in this document, these should not be taken as a reliable indication of future results or performance. Your capital is at risk, and you may therefore lose some or all of the amount.

H A P P Y

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Y E A R !

THE CADOGAN, A BELMOND HOTEL

AT B E C K , I T ’ S M A K I N G T H I N G S I M AG I N A B L E T H AT D R I V E S U S

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SCAN ME! At BECK, our comprehensive range of in house services take a project from blueprint to a luxurious finished interior. To find out more, please contact Vanessa Budd: vbudd@beckinteriors.com

The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

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The Story of Christmas wishes to acknowledge the generous support of

Clipstone

The CMS Real Estate Team are proud to support The Story of Christmas 2023 cms.law

Proud supporters of commercial real estate professionals, and The Story of Christmas 2023 From everyone at CoStar Group, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

SEASON’S GREETINGS Season’s greetings from FTI Consulting’s real estate team. Proud supporters of the Story of Christmas.

Strategic Communications Giles Barrie Senior Managing Director giles.barrie@fticonsulting.com

Richard Sunderland Senior Managing Director richard.sunderland@fticonsulting.com

www.fticonsulting.com ©

Strategic Communications I Corporate Finance I Restructuring I Tax Advisory I Construction Solutions I Debt Advisory

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International Property Consultants

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Real estate for reliable income FTSE 250 listed real estate investment company with £3bn of assets

LondonMetric Property Plc One Curzon Street London W1J 5HB United Kingdom T:+44 (0) 20 7484 9000 www.londonmetric.com

Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for 2024 From M&G Real Estate OCT 23 / 1084104

Delivering Extraordinary Developments for over 40 years

Martin Grant Homes

are proud to support The Story of Christmas

SANG Car park 20no. Spaces

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www.martingranthomes.co.uk I T: 01306 730822

Moorfield Group are delighted to support The Story of Christmas Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

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BUILDING CHANGE At Schroders Capital, we strive to make a positive impact in everything we do. In the spirit of ‘Building Change’, we are proud to support The Story of Christmas and the change they generate for homeless and disadvantaged children across the UK. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and a new year filled with happiness and health!

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SIX SENSES RESIDENCES COURCHEVEL

Six Senses Residences Courchevel is an unrivalled spa residence set in Courchevel 1850, comprising of exquisitely designed duplex penthouses and apartments. Offering the pinnacle in mountain lifestyle, all the apartments are fully equipped with kitchens, family living and dining, and balconies and terraces framing the mountainscape. Our prestige apartments are the crème de la crème, with additional features such as open fireplaces, private hammams, wine cellars, cinema rooms, and more. The spacious apartments are complemented by exquisite onsite facilities including a Japanese restaurant. As you may know, Sumosan’s first Alpine hub is on the ground floor within Six Senses Residences. You’ll be greeted by the famous Sumosan Sumo dressed in a variety of quirky ski accessories. The bar is open for a whole selection of new-season après-ski cocktails and a selection of sushi and sashimi, while the restaurant serves up contemporary Japanese creations along with an ever-changing new menu items created exclusively for this location. Did you know, we can also organise a private wine degustation and private dining in the comfort of your residence? Join us for a magical winter. Reservations: +33 6 49 47 40 58

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SIX SENSES

We administer a range of specific treatments tailored to outdoor activities and snow sports, and are open to the public. For example, the Arnica and Ginger Hot Oil Massage will prepare you for a peaceful slumber and get you slope ready for the next morning. If you’ve pushed it to your edges, you can combine a restorative deep tissue massage with Normatec leg compression therapy to enhance blood flow and lymphatic fluid removal. To counteract the effects of sun and wind on the face, a 30-minute skin booster facial turns down the glow before heading out for dinner. Many of our biohacking tools with CBD oils and balms are now available in your residence to take your recovery to the next level. For more targeted recovery and performance optimisation for a range of sports, the skilled team are on hand to smooth you out from top to toe through Kinesiology, physiotherapy, and movement rehabilitation. You can also indulge in sound healing, breathwork, yoga, personal training, sleep and detox programmes, and much more. As part of Grow With Six Senses, we’ve created a selection of junior spa treatments including funky nail art, soothing facials, foot mapping or a relaxing massage. We also offer parent and child experiences to double the fun. reservations-courchevel-spa@sixsenses.com | +33 9 78 06 37 53

SPA

Choir, Band and RNR

Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral There has been a choir of boy choristers and Vicars Choral at St Paul’s for over nine centuries. The choir was enlarged and re-organised in the late nineteenth century under Sir John Stainer, and St Paul’s was one of the first to care properly for its choristers with appropriate housing and education. The present choir consists of around thirty singing boys and twelve adults, and girls have now been added to the probationer programme in readiness for the formal establishment of a new choir in September 2025. The choir is at the heart of the daily round of worship in the Cathedral singing daily Evensong and three services on a Sunday during term time. In addition, it takes part in a number of services of national importance, many of which are broadcast around the world. Most recently these have included the celebration of HM The Queen’s 90th Birthday in 2016, the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service in 2017 and a live broadcast in memory of HRH the Duke of

Choir, Band and RNR

Edinburgh in 2021. In June 2022, the choir sang at the Service of Thanksgiving for HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and, on 9 September 2022, at a Service of Prayer and Reflection on the death of Her Majesty. The choir regularly commissions new works; in recent years, these have been from Sir John Tavener, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, John Rutter, Francis Grier, Judith Bingham, Nico Muhly, Will Todd and Judith Weir. The choir has given concerts extensively in the UK, Europe, Japan and North America including Freiburg, Aldeburgh and Frankfurt. In April 2015, the choir toured the United States, performing in Boston, Atlanta, Houston, Washington DC, Minneapolis and Chicago. The choristers toured the United States again in April 2018. In November 2019, the choir gave a concert in the Monastery of Santa Maria in Alcobaça, Portugal. In July 2023, the choir toured the Netherlands.

179

Andrew Carwood mbe, Director of Music national importance, recordings, tours and concert appearances. Most recently he directed the music at the celebration of HM The Queen’s 90th Birthday in 2016, the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service in 2017 and a live broadcast in memory of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh in 2021. In June 2022, he directed the music at the Service of Thanksgiving for HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and, on 9 September 2022, at a Service of Prayer and Reflection on the death of Her Majesty.

In 2007 he was appointed Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral (the first non-organist to hold such a post since the 12th century) and trains the world famous choir of adults and boys for the daily liturgies of the Cathedral, special services of

He has to date received five Gramophone Awards including, in 2010, not only the Gramophone Award for Early Music but also the coveted Record of the Year Award. He was awarded an MBE for services to Choral Music in the 2022 New Year’s Honours list.

Benjamin Ealovega

Andrew Carwood MBE is one of the most versatile musicians of his generation, having had an illustrious career as a singer before focusing attention on conducting and choral direction. He trained as a choral scholar at St John’s College, Cambridge, a lay clerk at Christ Church, Oxford and Westminster Cathedral, London, before holding the post of Director of Music at the Brompton Oratory in London. In 1989 he established his own early music ensemble The Cardinall’s Musick.

180

Martin Ford Martin Ford is the Acting Sub-Organist of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Organist & Director of Music of The Royal Military Chapel (The Guards’ Chapel) in Westminster, and Professor of Organ at the Royal College of Music. His wide-ranging freelance career encompasses a variety of work as an organist, piano accompanist, choral director and teacher. Martin read Music at Oxford University, graduating with a first-class degree in 2008, before continuing his studies on the Masters programme at the Royal College of Music. He has held organ scholarships at Southwark Cathedral and Magdalen College, Oxford, the positions of Assistant Organist at St Martin-inthe-Fields (2009-2011) and Westminster Abbey (20122015), and Acting Sub-Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (2018-19). He has given solo recitals in venues including the church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, as well as accompanying numerous broadcasts on BBC radio and television. Particular highlights

Choir, Band and RNR

include playing for the service of celebration marking the 60th anniversary of the coronation at Westminster Abbey, attended by Her Majesty the Queen and broadcast live on television, as well as accompanying the choir of Westminster Abbey in appearances as part of David Starkey’s BBC documentary Music and Monarchy. In December 2022, Martin performed Olivier Messiaen’s nine-movement masterpiece for solo organ, La Nativité du Seigneur, in St Paul’s Cathedral. As an accompanist, Martin appears regularly in recitals with a variety of solo singers, as well as playing for larger ensembles, such as the Vasari Singers and the Trinity Boys Choir. His discography includes releases on the Harmonia Mundi and Naxos labels. Notable recent releases include Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs and Finzi’s In terra pax with baritone soloist Roderick Williams.

181

Band of the Scots Guards The musical face of the Third Regiment of foot guards, the Band of the Scots Guards has existed since the Regiment was brought into the English establishment around the year 1716. Though small, the band expanded through the 19th century with 32 performers in 1838, growing still to boast 44 members by 1888. Never ones to shy away from their duty, the band spent part of the First World War entertaining troops at Ypres and at the Somme in 1916. The Second World War saw the band entertaining on the home front publicly and over the radio. In more recent years the band were the only Foot Guards band to be deployed on active service in the Gulf War as part of Operation GRANBY (1990) where they were mostly attached to 33 Field Hospital. Musically the band has supported British Military music across the world, taking a central role in the formative years of the renowned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and was also part of the Tattoo’s first international tour to New Zealand in the year 2000. The band recently performed at the Tattoo this summer, now its 69th year. In 1997 the band also played at the handover ceremony in Hong Kong. In the last few years the band has barely stopped for breath, entertaining crowds at home and across the world. In the United Kingdom, the band has performed in the renowned Salisbury Cathedral,

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Royal Albert Hall and Blenheim Palace, here (with the Band of the Irish Guards) welcoming President Trump and his wife. Internationally, the band has performed at the Menin Gate in Belgium and has also spent time in Cyprus. Here, the band was able to work alongside 1st Battalion Scots Guards in celebrating St Andrew’s Day; as well as bringing both sides of the island together in a celebration of Music from the Screen. On a smaller scale, individuals have also represented the band abroad. Members of the Household Division Saxophone Quartet were honoured to perform at the World Saxophone Congress in Croatia and the band has also recently supported training teams sent to Jordan and Ethiopia, helping to coach their own bands in military excellence. The band has always been proud of their heritage which can be heard when they march to their rousing Scottish marches, frequently those of former Director of Music Major ‘Jimmy’ Howe. Often working alongside the Pipes and Drums of the Battalion, the Band of the Scots Guards can be counted upon to provide the very best in British state and ceremonial support. The Scots Guards are distinguishable from the other foot guard regiments by the thistles on their collars, the lack of plume in their Bearskin Caps, and their buttons being grouped in threes.

Major Frost Major Evin Frost joined the Army in 1998, after receiving an Armed Forces Music Bursary at Manchester University. After an initial assignment as a flute, saxophone and piano player in The Band of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers he began the three-year Student Bandmaster Course at The Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, in 2003. He was Bandmaster of The Band of The Prince of Wales’s Division and Band of the Welsh Guards before he returned to Kneller Hall as the

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School Bandmaster. Evin commissioned in 2012 and held appointments with The Band of The Parachute Regiment and as Deputy and then Chief Instructor, Kneller Hall. After completing the Intermediate Command Staff Course (Land) in 2019 he became the first Army musician to instruct at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before assigning as Director of Music of The Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2021. Evin moved to the Band of the Scots Guards as Director of Music in June 2023.

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HMS President, Royal Naval Reserve Led by Commander Laura Harrison, HMS President is the largest Royal Naval Reserve unit in the country, maintaining a permanent Royal Navy presence in London since 1903, whilst offering reservists from all walks of life a full range of career opportunities in their spare time. Along with its main London presence, just downstream of Tower Bridge and overlooking the entrance to St Katharine's Dock, an integral part of the unit is Medway Division, located in the town of Rochester and attracting recruits from Kent, SE London and South Essex.

across the world, seamlessly integrating with their regular counterparts; provided support to the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, including as part of the RNR marching platoon; played a key role in the Lord Mayor’s Show with an armed Guard and junior officers of the Gunroom dragging the field gun; and represented the Royal Navy at numerous UK and overseas sporting events, as well as Armed Forces Day and Remembrance events across London and Kent. The unit also achieved accreditation as a RYA training centre, enabling members of the Ship’s Company to qualify to drive the unit’s Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat on This year, reservists from HMS President and Medway the challenging tides of the Thames, and delivered a Division who specialise in general and information leadership development weekend in Sussex for fellow warfare have deployed on operations and exercises reservists from units across the country.

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Choir, Band and RNR

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St George’s Hanover Square

The Church and parish of St George, Hanover Square is once again delighted to host the 46th presentation of The Story of Christmas. Built 1721–1724 to the design of John James as one of twelve Queen Anne churches, commissioned to serve the rapidly expanding population of the metropolis, and consecrated in 1725, St George’s has stood for nearly three hundred years in the heart of London’s West End in service to the greater glory of God and in prayerful witness to the life, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. As the Parish Church of Mayfair St George’s serves the spiritual needs of the small resident community, the wider family of worshippers at St George’s and the much larger population of those who work in the parish but live elsewhere. Alongside this spiritual role St George’s also plays a key part in the cultural life of Mayfair as a concert venue of distinction and an architectural gem. The interior of the church as seen today is largely the result of re-orderings first by Sir Arthur Blomfield in 1894 and then his nephew Sir Reginald Blomfield in 1926; but substantial parts of the original furnishings remain, including the box pews in the galleries, the reredos from the workshop of Grinling Gibbons framing a Last Supper by William Kent, and the pulpit. All of these would have been familiar to St George’s most famous parishioner: the composer George Frideric Handel, who lived for the final 36 years of his life at 25 Brook Street, a stone’s throw from St George’s, and who worshipped here regularly. Today we are well known for our dignified and traditional formal worship based on the Book of Common Prayer, supported by magnificent music provided by our fine professional choir under the direction of Richard Gowers, newly appointed Director of Music this year, and for excellence in preaching. The musical heritage of St George’s is further enhanced by our status as the home of the

St George’s Hanover Square

annual London Handel Festival, our regular series of Mayfair Organ Concerts held in partnership with our sister Church, the Grosvenor Chapel, and a rich and varied programme of concerts throughout the year, particular highlights of which are our collaborations with the London Firebird Orchestra and Orpheus Sinfonia and our new Hanover Square Lunchtime Concerts series. However, it will not have escaped the attention of anyone passing by or visiting St George’s this year that it has not been without its challenges. Following the partial collapse of the portico ceiling in December last year we found ourselves having to raise the sum of £400,000 in order to carry out vital repairs. Thanks to the generous efforts of our supporters we have been successful in this endeavour but the work of preserving, maintaining and restoring the fabric of this 300-year-old building is an ongoing one and we continue to rely on the support of our community and benefactors in order to do so. We are also looking forward to the exciting opportunities that the expected completion of our Undercroft in the New Year will offer to further our ministry of worship, prayer and hospitality moving into the future. Above all though St George’s strives to be a house of prayer for all nations and a place of sanctuary, where all are welcome to come and experience something of the peace of God in a world which seems to become busier with every passing day. You are warmly invited to join us at any of our weekday services and for the primary act of worship, the parish Sung Eucharist at 11.00am on Sundays. For now may we wish you a holy Advent in patient expectation of the coming of Our Lord, and, when it comes, a very merry and blessed Christmas and peaceful New Year.

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Dame Mary Berry dbe Mary is one of the UK’s best loved cookery writers and television personalities. She is known world-wide for her work as a judge on Best Home Cook and The Great British Bake Off, with its spin off series. She also presented The Great American Baking Show for NBC.

Training at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and Bath School of Economics, in the 1960s she became cookery editor of Housewife and then Ideal Home. Mary first appeared on television in the 1970s and has since written over 80 cookery books, with sales of over six million copies.

Alongside her regular chop & cook series, Mary has also presented Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets and Mary Berry Saves Christmas. In 2019, she joined forces with the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in A Berry Royal Christmas, preparing a festive feast to thank volunteers working over the Christmas period.

She has won many awards, including Good Housekeeping Award for Food Book of the Year and Best TV Judge at the National TV Awards.

In 2012, Mary was honoured with a CBE for services to culinary arts and awarded a Damehood in 2020 for services to broadcasting, the culinary arts and charity work.

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Emily Bohill Emily is the Managing Partner at Bohill Partners, a firm that helps real asset investors to build and retain best in class teams in Europe. Emily leads senior searches and complex advisory mandates, as well as managing the relationships with many of their key clients. Before she founded the firm with Alice Fontana in 2008, she ran the European real assets practice at Armstrong International and was a founding member of the Soros-backed search firm Skillcapital. Emily graduated from Trinity College, Dublin and St. Petersburg State University with an MA in Business and Russian. She speaks French, German, Irish, Russian and Spanish. Emily is a passionate believer in the power of social impact and community cohesion. In 2017 she founded Run Kids Run, a platform to help state schools put on

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fundraising running events. She is also on the board of Ireland Funds Great Britain. The Ireland Funds is a global philanthropic network established in 1976 to promote and support peace, culture, education and community development throughout the island of Ireland, and Irish-related causes around the world. She is also Co-Chair of Thornhill Primary School Foundation, a state school in London. In the four years since she has been involved, the Foundation has delivered on key projects including a new library, and the complete refurbishment of the early years classes and outdoor spaces. In 2019, Emily joined the Fundraising Committee of The Story of Christmas and became a trustee in 2020.

Asa Butterfield British actor, Asa has had an expansive career to date, across both television and film. After making his on-screen debut at the age of eight, he has starred in a number of projects spanning multiple genres.

He has received nominations for three British Independent Film Awards, two Critics' Choice Awards, two Saturn Awards and three Young Artist Awards.

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Benedict Cumberbatch cbe Globe, BAFTA and SAG Award nomination, SpiderMan: No Way Home, Doctor Strange, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, The Mauritanian and The Courier, both of which he also produced, 1917, 12 Years a Slave, War Horse, Atonement, The Hobbit, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Black He was most recently seen reprising his role as ‘Doctor Mass, August: Osage County, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Other Boleyn Girl. Strange’ in Marvel’s Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness. He can be seen in Wes Anderson’s upcoming Notable television credits include Sherlock for which adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Jeymes Samuel’s upcoming film The he won the Emmy Award for Leading Actor in a Drama Series, received three Emmy nominations, a Book of Clarence for Sony and Legendary. He also recently wrapped production on Netflix’s Eric, a limited Golden Globe nomination, three BAFTA TV Award series from creator Abi Morgan. nominations, two SAG Award nominations and three Critics Choice nominations, Patrick Melrose for Benedict was nominated for an Academy Award, which he received a BAFTA TV Award, Golden Globe BAFTA, SAG, Critics Choice and Golden Globe for his nomination and Emmy Award nomination, The Hollow work in Jane Campion’s Academy Award winning film Crown, for which he received a BAFTA TV Award nomination, Hawking, for which he earned a BAFTA TV The Power of The Dog opposite Kirsten Dunst and Jesse nomination, Small Island, for which he earned a BAFTA Plemons. The film, which received twelve Academy TV nomination, Parade’s End, for which he received Award nominations, including ‘Best Picture’, had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, followed an Emmy nomination, and Brexit: The Uncivil War. by screenings at the Telluride Film Festival, Toronto Cumberbatch’s stage credits include Frankenstein, for International Film Festival, London Film Festival and which he received the Laurence Olivier Award and the New York Film Festival. Critics’ Circle Theatre Award, Hedda Gabler, for which he received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination and Among his many credits, he has starred in The Imitation won the Ian Charleson Award, and Hamlet, for which he Game for which he received an Academy Award, Golden earned his third Laurence Olivier Award nomination. Academy Award nominee Benedict has established himself as one of the most versatile actors of his generation with an array of emotionally searing and complex roles defining his body of work.

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Rob Delaney Rob is an American comedian, actor and writer, who is widely known as the co-creator and co-star of the critically acclaimed, BAFTA-winning and Emmynominated Channel 4 and Amazon Prime comedy Catastrophe, which broadcasted for four seasons in over 130 countries around the world. Rob is also an accomplished two-time author who recently released his deeply personal Sunday Times Bestseller and New York Times bestselling memoir A Heart that Works with Hodder (UK) and Spiegel & Grau (US) to outstanding reviews, including being mentioned as one of the Best Books of 2022 from publications such as The New Yorker, Entertainment Weekly, Time and USA Today. Previously in 2013, Rob released his first memoir Rob Delaney: Mother Wife Sister Human Warrior Falcon Yardstick Turban Cabbage from Random House (Spiegel & Grau US) and Little Brown (UK). He can be seen next in the forthcoming Apple TV+ series Bad Monkey, opposite Vince Vaughn, produced by Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso), Paramount’s Mission

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Impossible 7, as well the Netflix feature Love at First Sight. Other film and tv credits include Netflix’s The School for Good and Evil, Showtime's The Man Who Fell To Earth, the Disney+ reboot of Home Sweet Home Alone opposite Ellie Kemper, Amblin’s The Good House opposite Sigourney Weaver, Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle, Amazon’s The Power, Lionsgate’s Bombshell, the Fast & Furious Hobbs & Shaw, and Comedy Central’s Key & Peele. In 2018, Rob was a breakout star as the fan favourite “Peter W.” in Deadpool 2 – the newest (and beloved) member to the X-Force who has no powers but “just responded to the ad.” and will reprise his role in the highly anticipated Deadpool 3. Along with releasing two stand-up specials, Jackie (Amazon) and Live at the Bowery Ballroom (Netflix), he hosted Comedy Central UK’s Rob Delaney’s Stand Up Central, an eight-episode stand-up comedy showcase. When he is not acting nor writing, you can find him waxing poetic in the form of 140 characters or less @ robdelaney on Twitter. He currently resides in London and regularly performs stand-up across the world.

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Omid Djalili Intelligent, always provocative, entertaining, Omid’s legendary stand-up performance is a captivating comedy masterclass. His credits range from Hollywood films to television and the West End stage. Earning praise across the world for his performances, Omid is seen hosting his own ITV quiz show The Winning Combination. He appeared in the smash hit Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, His Dark Materials for BBC1 & HBO and Letter For The King on Netflix. Omid also gained rave reviews for his leading role of Tevvye in the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Fiddler On The Roof.

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Lord Fellowes of West Stafford Writer, director, producer, novelist and actor Julian Fellowes has had an extensive and lauded career in film, television, publishing and the dramatic arts.

Family Festival in Rome), The Young Victoria, The Tourist, Romeo & Juliet, The Chaperone, the Downtown Abbey movie and Downtown Abbey: A New Era.

He received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2002 for Gosford Park, which was his first produced film. Downton Abbey which, over its six seasons, received 69 Emmy Award nominations, won 15, including writing and Outstanding Mini Series or Movie for Julian. He also received a Gold Glove Award and Special BAFTA Award for Downton Abbey.

His television writing credits include Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Prince and the Pauper, Titanic, Doctor Thorne, Belgravia, The English Game and The Gilded Age.

Julian’s film writing credits include Vanity Fair, Separate Lies (National Board of Review Directorial Debut Award), From Time to Time (Best Picture at the Chicago Children’s Film Festival and Best Picture at the Fiuggi

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Julian is responsible for the ‘book’ of the Broadway musicals, Mary Poppins and School of Rock – the Musical for which he received a Tony Nomination. He also wrote the books for Half a Sixpence and The Wind in the Willows, both of which played in the West End in London in 2017. He has written three Sunday Times Best Sellers, Snobs, Past Imperfect and Belgravia.

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Kit Harington Born in London, Kit Harington studied drama and theatre at the Central School of Speech & Drama, a constituent of the University of London. Before graduating in 2008, he won the lead role of Albert in the Royal National Theatre's London production of the smash hit War Horse. The production transferred to London's West End at the New London Theatre, and he stayed with the role until 2009 after which he appeared in Posh, by Laura Wade, at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Harington made his West End return in Sam Shepard’s modern classic, True West. Previous theatre credits include Sam Shepard’s modern classic, True West and Henry V at the Donmar Warehouse. Harington starred as Jon Snow in the critically acclaimed and Emmy award winning HBO drama series Game of Thrones. In 2016, he received his first Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and in 2019, he receives his second Emmy nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. In 2020, Harington received a Golden Globe

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nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series. His most recent TV projects include Amazon’s Modern Love and Netflix’s Criminal. In 2018, Harington transitioned into the role of Executive Producer on a miniseries titled Gunpowder. Harington played his real-life ancestor on his mother’s side, Catholic rebel Robert Catesby who was part of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, the failed scheme by Roman Catholic militants to blow up the House of Lords in London. The series also starred Peter Mullan, Mark Gatiss and Liv Tyler. Past film projects include Magnolia’s Baby Ruby, Marvel’s Eternals, Baby Rub, the HBO sports mockumentary 7 Days in Hell, Sony Pictures Classics drama Testament of Youth and the big-screen adaptation of the hit British spy series Spooks: The Greater Good. He also lent his voice to the animated film How to Train Your Dragon 2 which won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2014 and received an Academy Award nomination.

Ian Hislop, President of The Story of Christmas Ian Hislop is a writer, journalist and broadcaster. He was educated at Ardingly College and Magdalen College, Oxford. He has been editor of Private Eye since 1986. He is probably best known for his role as a regular team captain on the BBC show Have I Got News for You. He has appeared on BBC Question Time, written and presented documentaries for television and radio about various subjects including the Patron Saints of the British Isles, History of Tax, Female Hymn Writers, Dr Beeching, Victorian Philanthropists, Benefit Systems, The First World War, and The Stiff Upper Lip.

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Most recently, he had a series on Radio 4 called In Suburbia (2022). He co-wrote a dramatisation of The Wipers Times with Nick Newman, which was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Single Drama of 2014. Their new about Spike Milligan, Spike, premiered at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury, went on tour in the UK in the Autumn of 2022. In 2018, Ian curated an exhibition at the British Museum, I Object: Ian Hislop’s Search for Dissent.

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Celia Imrie cbe Celia is an Olivier award-winning and Screen Actors Guild-nominated actress, a Variety magazine ‘Icon’ and Women in Film and Television ‘Lifetime Achievement award’ winner.

Celia has also effortlessly made the transition from being one of our best-loved actresses to a talented novelist and is a Sunday Times best-selling author. Her novels include Not Quite Nice, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Sail Away, A Nice Cup of Tea and Orphans of the Storm, published this summer.

She is much loved for her film roles including The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and the Bridget Jones film series, Calendar Girls, and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, Finding Your Feet and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. She recently took on a darker role in Netflix’s Malevolent and starred in the independent feature, Love Sarah. Later this year she will join the cast of Keeping Faith for its third series and will soon be seen in The Inn at the Edge of the World, directed by Charles Dance.

Celia returned for the fourth series of FX’s ‘perfect genius' Better Things, Pamela Adlon’s semiautobiographical comedy on BBC 2, which has been a critical hit from the start, The New Yorker citing her as ‘magnificent’ as Phyllis, with The Guardian stating that the series is ‘raw, touching and incredibly funny. And yet the most remarkable thing about it is Celia Imrie’s exceptional performance as Adlon’s mother’.

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Aled Jones mbe, Deputy President of The Story of Christmas Aled is the original crossover singing star performing 2020 saw the release of Blessings the album and the for the Pope and the Royal Family. He has released over book. The album featured duets with Dame Judi 40 albums with over 10 million sales. Dench, Sami Yusef, Susan Boyle, Brian Blessed amongst others. In 2021 Aled released a children’s book As a broadcaster, he has worked for the BBC for decades called Bobby Dean Saved Christmas making it Number 1 on TV and radio and hosts his own Sunday morning Best Seller in the Amazon Short Stories for Children radio show on Classic FM. Aled has been a regular on chart. 2022 ended seeing Aled embarking on a UK tour many TV shows and hosted his own magazine show on with Russell Watson to coincide with the release of ITV called Weekend. their album. 2023 began with Aled signing an album called One Voice - Full Circle with Decca. 2024 will see Aled continues to record and perform. One Voice, One Aled on an extensive Full Circle book tour. Voice at Christmas were the two top selling Classical albums in 2016. One Voice Believe completed the trilogy.

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Emilia Jones Emilia recently received rave reviews after the premiere in Sundance of Cat Person opposite Nicholas Braun, based on the New Yorker short story. Her other Sundance premiere, Fairyland, is a heartfelt drama about the relationship with her father (Scoot McNairy) during the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco. She also starred as the lead in the Apple feature, CODA, written and directed by Sian Heder, which won the Academy Award in 2022 for Best Feature. The film won the Sundance 2021 Grand Jury Prize, the Audience Award and Directing Award for US Dramatic Film. Emilia took home last year’s Gotham Award for Breakthrough Performer, was nominated for the 2021

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Hollywood Critics Association Award for Best Actress, and was honoured at the 2022 Santa Barbara International Film Festival Virtuoso Awards for this role. She was also seen on the Netflix series, Locke & Key, created by Meredith Averill and Carlton Cuse and based on the best-selling graphic novels. Emilia wrapped the feature, Winner, for director Susanna Fogel at the end of 2022 in which she plays the real life character, Reality Winner, who was a former US Air Force member, who was given the longest prison sentence ever imposed for allegedly giving unauthorised information to the media.

Chris Martin Chris Martin is frontman of the band Coldplay, which he formed with his friends Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion in London in late 1997. They have gone on to become one of the most popular acts in the world, selling more than 100 million albums and releasing a long line of hits such as Yellow, Clocks, Fix You, Paradise, Viva La Vida, A Sky Full Of Stars, Hymn For The Weekend, Something Just Like This and My Universe. The band’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour is currently taking them to stadiums around the globe, to widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike.

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Sir Trevor McDonald obe Trevor was born and educated in Trinidad where his career in the media began. He came to London in August 1969 to work as a Producer in the BBC Overseas Regional Service.

He has presented a number of documentaries for ITV1; including Secret Caribbean, Secret Mediterranean, The Mighty Mississippi, Inside Death Row, Women Behind Bars, The Mafia with Trevor McDonald, Las Vegas with Trevor McDonald, Mafia Women with Trevor McDonald, How to Catch a Serial Killer, James Bulgar: A Mother's Story, Countdown to A Royal Wedding, Fred & Rose West The Real Story, Trevor McDonald's Indian Train Adventure, West and Hindley and The Killing of PC Harper: A Widow's Fight for Justice.

He joined ITN as a General Reporter in 1973 and went on to anchor every ITN News programme. He has conducted some of the most important interviews of his time: with Libyan President Colonel Gadaffi, former PLO Leader Yasser Arafat and Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush. He can also claim the first British television interview with Nelson Mandela upon Trevor was awarded the OBE in 1992 and a his release from prison and the only British television Knighthood in 1999. interview with Saddam Hussein.

In January 2008, after a two-year break, Sir Trevor briefly returned to ITV News for the re-launch of News at Ten.

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Zoë Wanamaker cbe The multi-award-winning Zoë is one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation, with a career which spans both stage and screen. She is a four-time Tony Award nominee and a ninetime Olivier Award nominee, winning the Best Actress Award twice for Electra and Once in a Lifetime. Her career has taken her from the RSC to the National Theatre, via Broadway, the Royal court and the Donmar Warehouse.

She received a BAFTA nomination for her role in the film Wilde, and other film credits include Harry Potter and My Week with Marilyn. She has recently completed filming The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Cleaner and a new tv drama Criminal Record. Zoë has recently returned back home after appearing in Pictures from Home at The Studio 54 Theatre on Broadway.

Her varied tv career has included the much-loved BBC sitcom, My Family, along with Poirot and Mr Selfridge. She has recently been in all three series of the Sky/ Amazon collaboration, Britannia, as Queen Antedia, as well as appearing in two series of Shadow and Bones.

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Leah Williamson Leah joined Arsenal's Centre of Excellence in 2006 at the age of nine and made her senior debut in a Champions League quarter-final. Leah made 12 appearances in the 2014 FA Women's Super League and at the end of the season was named the FA WSL Cup Player of the Year. Leah then won the England Women’s Youth Player of the Year award and in April 2015 was named the 2014-15 PFA Young Women's Player of the Year. She was part of the Arsenal team who won the FA Cup at Wembley in a 1-0 win over Chelsea in 2016. Leah has represented England since 2010 and captained the U17 side in the 2014 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship. She was also part of the England Women's U20 team which competed in the 2014 FIFA Under 20 Women's World Cup in Canada.

In 2019, Leah joined a host of other notable figures in jewelry brand Swarovski’s 2019 #FollowTheLight campaign and was also selected to represent England at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France. Leah has also represented Great Britain during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics and captained England to victory in two Arnold Clark Cups and UEFA Women’s Euro 2022. Leah has worked with a number of household name brands such as Nike, Gucci, Vogue, Pepsi, Doritos, Cadbury’s, and Mastercard and has become one of the leading names and most well-known faces in English football. Leah was awarded an OBE in the 2023 New Year Honours list for her services to Association Football. She has recently announced the news of her book launch, Leah Williamson: You Have the Power, which encompasses her own life experiences to give advice and inspiration to the younger generations.

In November 2017, she was called up to the Lionesses Senior squad and made her debut in the 3-1 2019 FIFA World Cup qualifier, against Russia. Leah made headlines in April 2015 when her successful penalty was disallowed for player encroachment in a qualifying match against Norway for the 2015 UEFA Under-19 championship. The match was ordered to be

replayed five days after the original contest. The players returned to finish the last two minutes of their game with the score standing at 2-1 to Norway. Leah equalised and in doing so booked her team's place in the tournament finals. Nerves of steel!

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Laura Whitmore Laura is an established and highly experienced TV presenter, radio broadcaster and actor. Best known for her roles hosting MTV, Love Island, Celebrity Juice and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here Now. This summer she hosted her first chat show Laura Whitmore’s Breakfast Show on ITV1 and released the critically acclaimed documentary series Laura Investigates on ITVX. She is a Sunday Times best selling author and currently cohosts the BBC Podcast, Murder They Wrote. She recently wrote and starred in her first short film, Sabhdh, for which she won the Ros Hubbard award for Best Actress. Last year she made her West End debut as Jenny in the critically acclaimed 2:22 A Ghost Story and stars in her first feature film A Mother for an Hour which will be released next year.

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Corporate Benefactors

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Personal Donors Alexandra & Paul Anthony Nick & Debbie Barton Anthony & Amelia Braddon James Braddon & Alice Minns Terence & Grainne Brown Simon Camamile Stephen Casey Henry Cecil Richard Croft Sarah Davies James Dunlop Joseph England Grace Everett Ross Fenwick Robert Fowlds Henry Franklin Trevor & Elizabeth Gore

Lady Goswell Paul & Kay Goswell Henry Hammond Nick & Lucy Howe Andrew & Deborah Hynard Paul Jackson Paul Langmead Chris & Pippa Meares Tim & Marijke Sketchley Alex & Mole Smith Sir David & Lady Sutton (Gay) David & Susie Turner Stephen Vernon Gerard Vertsteegh Paul White Ian Womack & Madeleine Cosgrave Howard Woollaston

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The 47th Presentation of The Story of Christmas will take place at St George’s Hanover Square on Wednesday 11 December 2024

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Leaf from an Antiphonary: Initial H with the Nativity (recto) and Text (verso), c. 1480. South Germany, Augsburg (?), 15th century. Ink, tempera and gold on vellum; leaf: 62.5 x 41 cm (24 5/8 x 16 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection 2014.25