Love Christmas giving at Devonshire Square

This festive season will see iconic London estate Devonshire Square teaming up with homeless charity The Connection to grant Christmas wishes and celebrate the spirit of giving.

Taking central stage in Devonshire Square’s historic western courtyard will be a Christmas Wishing Tree entirely decorated with paper hearts on which handwritten wishes from those in need will be hanging. Visitors can read the wishes, and in the true spirit of Christmas, choose to honour them by writing “Honoured” on the hearts and pledging to make the wish come true.

For each wish granted, a floating candle will be lit and released onto the beautiful Western Courtyard fountain on a special ceremony on 22nd December 2015. Gifts will then be delivered to The Connection Charity Centre on Christmas Day.

Dana Aboul-Jabine, Corporate and Major Donor Fundraiser, The Connection, said: “It is great that Devonshire Square has chosen us as their charity, it is amazing that the community is coming together to support such an important cause, and celebrating the spirit of Christmas through giving.”

The festivities will be celebrated in style surrounded by Devonshire Square’s iconic retailers. This will be supported by a month long programme of music from a talented array of bands, with performances by Abraxas Ensemble, Tenori, with tenors Alexander Grove, Nicholas Ransley and John Hudson, the Enchorus Gospel Choir, Joglaresa, the High Society Brass Band and Sammie Jay.

Event programme:

Tuesday 1st December:
12pm: The Christmas lights will be turned on at 12 noon and the Christmas Wishes Tree will be on display in the Western Courtyard.
12.30pm: The Abraxas Ensemble, the exceptionally talented quintet of violinist who wowed the crowd at this year’s Chelsea flower show, will be opening the Festival with a very special Christmas performance.

Thursday 3rd December:
12.30pm: The Enchorus Gospel Choir, the successful London-based gospel choir, will offer the Devonshire Square community a performance that includes songs executed acapella and others with music accompaniment. Already having achieved major success including performing in Sam Smith’s Grammy Award winning single “Stay With Me” and performing during the live semi-finals of ITV’s The X Factor, they will be showcasing their own gospel twist on some festive favourites.

Wednesday 9th December
12.30pm: Devonshire Square will be hosting a 45 minutes concert by Joglaresa, one of UK’s best Medieval music groups and definitely the most rebellious medieval ensemble. With harp, fidel, percussion, bagpipes and voices, they perform songs that challenge the supreme authority of Kings, criticise the Roman Curia and highlight the lives, loves imprisonment and taxation of ordinary folks at the time of the Great Charter. Joglaresa’s tour has been founded by the Arts Council and includes a concert at this year’s Spitalfield Music Winter Festival http://www.spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk/whats-on/winter-festival-2015/ .

Thursday 10th December:
12.30pm: The High Society Brass Band, part of an 80 piece marching band, will be clad in their best Christmas jumpers to perform a fabulous festive repertoire that includes the most popular classical, pop and jazz hits.

Monday 14th December:
6pm: The Constanza Chorus, a City based choral society, will be offering the Devonshire Square community a Christmas Carol singing concert to raise money for the Help Musicians UK charity.
Their official website is: www.constanzachorus.co.uk.

Tuesday 15th December:
12.30 pm: Tenori, the extraordinary talented trio of internationally acclaimed Opera singers will treat the Devonshire Square community to a unique, breath-taking act. The tenors performing at this lunchtime event are Alexander Grove, Nicholas Ransley and John Hudson.

Tuesday 22nd December:
12.30pm: Floating candles will be lit and released on the Western Courtyard fountain for each wish that has been honoured and the presents donated by the community will be sent to the Connection Charity.
Singer and song-writer Sammie Jay, a very talented rising star, will enchant the audience with her sweet and yet powerful, melodic voice.