‘The power is actually in the reason why we are coming together’ (Picture: Supplied)
While most of us are joined by partners, family and friends on December 25, Josephine Segal will be spending her day with magicians, fairies, singers, poets, face-painters and therapy dogs.
The unique team will be making it their mission to create memorable moments of distraction and excitement for very sick children across two London hospitals.
‘Spending any time in hospital is challenging, but being in hospital on Christmas Day is especially tough and can be heartbreaking for children and families alike,’ explains Josephine, the co-founder Spread a Smile – a charity that provides in-hospital and virtual entertainment for critically and severely ill children, even (and especially) on Christmas Day.
‘Hospitals try and allow children home on Christmas Day, so those still at hospital are particularly unwell.
‘No parent wants their child to be in hospital, especially on Christmas Day… a day that should be packed with fun, excitement, and family time.
‘We aim to provide distraction, light and laughter, and, of course, spread smiles.’
Spending any time in hospital is challenging, but being in hospital on Christmas Day is especially tough’ (Picture: Supplied)
Josephine will be working this Christmas Day – all to help young patients and their families cope with the pain and anxiety of serious illness and hospitalisation.
She explains: ‘This year, my therapy dog, Buddy, and I will join a team of talented Spread a Smile entertainers at University College London Hospital on Christmas Day and at Great Ormond Street Hospital on Boxing day. We will visit children and families across selected wards.’
Josephine co-founded Spread a Smile in 2013 after seeing the positive impact a magician’s visit had on her young nephew, Aaron, during his treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Now, 10 years on, the charity works with 31 hospitals and four hospices across the UK.
She adds: ‘The nurses do an amazing job trying to create a festive environment and Spread a Smile aims to build on that.
‘Seeing and hearing children smile and laugh and watching parents seeing their loved ones momentarily forgetting their pain and acting as children should is a genuine privilege.’
Josephine will be visiting kids this Christmas with Buddy (Picture: Supplied)
Similarly, every year for the past six years Andrea Zick, a trained chef, hasn’t been using her culinary skills to impress her friends and family on Christmas Day. Instead, the 42-year-old has been volunteering at Crisis at Christmas, to ensure everyone who attends gets a hot meal on the festive occasion.
‘For me, it just adds so much more perspective to Christmas,’ says Andrea, who moved from Germany to London in 2004.
With Christmas being an incredibly busy time for hospitality, Andrea doesn’t fly home to see her family in Germany.
And after living in the UK for a few years, she knew she wanted to do something more on Christmas Day.
The chef explains: ‘In the first years, when I actually had Christmas off work, I often felt that Christmas didn’t feel as enjoyable. It was just loafing around on the sofa waiting for the next portion of food and gifts to come.
‘That very much then led me to try volunteering with Crisis at Christmas– and in my first year I just absolutely loved the environment.’
Andre has worked for Crisis at Christmas for six years (Picture: Supplied)
Now Andrea works as a sous chef in the Bermondsey branch of Crisis at Christmas,where she helps to make a delicious festive dinner for homeless and vulnerable individuals on Christmas Day.
She oversees the numerous elements that make the day a success – from ensuring the volunteers each have a break amidst the hustle and bustle, to maintaining health and safety standards in the kitchen.
Andrea adds: ‘The team are very positive and cheerful on this day in particular. Some of the chefs will even wear a Santa hat instead of a hat cover. We will have Christmas music on and sing – it becomes a really joyful way of working, despite the focus which also goes into it.
‘But we aren’t just rolling around in the kitchen, everyone is working towards this big goal; having the meal ready for the right time, normally 1pm.
‘However, there is definitely a sense of joy in the kitchen and community. It’s us all coming together for something so much bigger than none of us individually could create.’
But Andrea says it’s so much more than just the food on offer.
She explains ‘Having a place where our guests are being treated like humans and not feeling dehumanised, which happens in so many other contexts. I think that’s just as important for their health, wellbeing and their future perspectives, as much as the food they are getting.
‘We also hear particularly touching stories from guests and we share them back to the people who have volunteered that day in the end-of-the-day debrief.
‘Also, it’s important to note that Christmas is one day of the year, but these experiences can happen on any other day
‘It’s really important for us to acknowledge that it doesn’t matter what day of the year it is, the power is actually in the reason why we are coming together.’
Richard is pictured with three-year-old Italian Greyhound, Gucci (Picture: Supplied)
For Richard Grainger, Christmas Day is just like any other day at work. With hundreds of cats and dogs relying on him, the 35-year-old’s day involves feeding, cleaning and exercising the animals at RSPCA’s Chesterfield & North Derbyshire branch.
‘I am a pot-washer, dog-walker, poop-scooper, floor-mopper, cat-cuddler, treat-dispenser, food-giver, ear-tickler, hand-feeder, ball-thrower, toy-tugger, window-washer, paw-cleaner, belly-scratcher, photo-taker, appeal-writer, and probably a few other things too,’ the animal care assistant says.
‘I cuddle cats and play with puppies for a living. I really ought to pinch myself. I could never, in my wildest dreams, have imagined I’d end up doing this.’
Richard, who’s been working at the RSPCA for 11 years, works every other Christmas Day and starts early doors.
He explains: ‘I’ll get in at roughly 7am and begin the process of feeding, cleaning and exercising the animals, who don’t seem to have a great understanding of how Christmas Day might differ from any of the other three hundred and sixty four.
‘We’re always tremendously busy so this can take up much of the morning and then, when we reach the afternoon, it’s time to go all over again. Feed. Clean. Walk.’
Gucci is currently looking for a home (Picture: Supplied)
But Richard enjoys every second of it and loves the stillness and quiet the day brings.
He adds: ‘There’s something quite magical about walking to work early on Christmas morning when there’s scarcely any cars on the road and few sounds beyond the twittering of birds.
‘To know it’s just me, the dogs, the cats, the rabbits and the brilliant silence. Sometimes I’ll walk one of the dogs and, as far as I can tell, we might as well be the last two souls on earth. It’s a weirdly brilliant feeling.’
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‘It just adds so much more perspective to Christmas.’