It’s Christmas time and at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice that means only one thing – that The Dorchester has brought the glamour and magic of the remarkable Mayfair hotel to the hospice.
A spectacular Christmas Tree, created by The Dorchester’s in-house designer florist Philip Hammond, stands pride of place at the entrance of the hospice. To celebrate the occasion and for the second year, a full brigade of staff from The Dorchester came to serve afternoon tea at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice for families with children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.
The Dorchester, synonymous with timeless elegance and innovation and one of London’s most distinguished hotels, is one of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice’s corporate partners and together they share the belief that Christmas should be magical for all children. Reflecting their shared values, a host of volunteers from The Dorchester team served festive treats, signature sandwiches and scones, while a surprise appearance from Father Christmas surprised staff and families at The Ark.
In attendance was Rose Charles from Whetstone with her grand-daughter Sophie Charles, aged 18, who has a life-limiting genetic condition. Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice have been supporting the family since 2008 when they also cared for Sophie’s brother Ben, who sadly died in 2014, from the same condition.
Rose said: ‘Noah’s Ark supports us in so many ways, practically, medically, socially and emotionally. I don’t know what we’d do without them, they’re woven into the fabric of our family.’
The partnership between Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice and The Dorchester provides unique experiences for children and families and fun ways to fundraise for The Dorchester staff. The partnership started just under two years ago and in that time there been an amazing array of events at The Dorchester including the recent Winter Ball (organised in partnership with The Winter Ball Committee) which raised over £500k, a book reading by David Walliams and a Christmas Concert with Alexandra Burke. The corporate partnership with The Dorchester brings life-changing income and helps raise awareness of the work that Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice does for children and families.
Luca Virgilio, general manager of The Dorchester, commented:
‘At The Dorchester, Christmas represents the spirit of giving, connection, and creating moments of joy for everyone who walks through our doors. Our partnership with Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is an extension of this mission, enabling us to share the magic and generosity of The Dorchester with families who inspire us with their warmth and courage. We are deeply honoured to work alongside Noah’s Ark in bringing festive cheer to the children and their loved ones at The Ark. Moments like these are the true meaning of Christmas.’
Sophie Andrews OBE, CEO of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice said: ‘I am so proud and grateful to have such wonderful and committed corporate partners like The Dorchester. They really go above and beyond for us every year to bring the magic and elegance of the hotel to our staff, children and families.’
It’s not an easy time for hospices as we face uncertainty around statutory funding and a steep rise in National Insurance contributions. Only 17% of our income comes from the state, the rest is raised through voluntary donation to meet the current running costs of approximately £18k per day. Despite these challenges Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice remains committed to providing these wonderful experiences for the children and families they support.
