Find out how Paddington is helping us!

Karen Jankel (daughter of Paddington Bear’s author, Michael Bond), Timothy West CBE and our lovely supporters and friends have all helped spread Christmas cheer across the globe and raise a staggering £20,000 in vital funds for the forgotten children of Darfur.

Did you miss our Candlelit Christmas Concert this year? Here’s a little snippet and there’s a link to the whole magical experience further below..!

After the success of last year, Kids for Kids took the magic online once again to share a celebratory mulled wine and mince pie live on Zoom with international friends and enjoy the beautiful Candlelit Christmas concert, which took place on 1st December in St Peter’s Church, London.

Patricia Parker OBE, Founder of Kids for Kids, was delighted to welcome supporters from all over the World including Khartoum, Albania, California, Canada and even Australia!

“It was so special to be able to celebrate the start of the festive season together once again at the beautiful St Peter’s Church in London and then share the magic with our international friends again online,” said Patricia Parker, Founder of Kids for Kids.  “Just think of the lives we will change! This has been made even more special as three fabulous supporters very kindly enabled us to double all your wonderful donations received on the night and up until 31st December!”

The live concert, which once again was generously sponsored by Delamere Dairy, was packed to the brim once again.  Volunteers decorated the  church beautifully so it was filled with candles, garlands and of course donkeys and our reindeer!   The atmosphere was euphorically festive as supporters from far and wide came together to celebrate 21 years of changing children’s lives.

“This year we were delighted to welcome back the beautiful Soloist Natalie Rushdie,” says Patricia “who joined the angelic voices of the choirs of Queen’s Gate School in filling the church as everyone sang their hearts out, Roy Bilham and Thames Fanfare Brass were wonderful as always and Lesley Magee had everyone captivated by her beautiful harp playing.”

We are so grateful to all the amazing people who support the concert, from the volunteers lead by the inexhaustible Ann and Richard Lienard and to our Musical Director, Ian Webb-Taylor.

Patricia Parker OBE was delighted to be joined by her own children and grandchildren – as well as the delightful Paddington Bear whose yellow wellington boots all of the children have worn!

Patricia ended her moving Christmas Message this year:

“It is humbling to hear how the poorest families help each other.  Can you imagine if everyone here today donated a goat how many children would no longer be hungry. It’s just £50 for a goat – what price is that to save a child from starvation?  

Do you remember that bowl of goat’s milk we were given by a mother who had virtually nothing?  How much more do we have?   I was not born in Darfur, but I could have been. So could you. 

If you know anyone who would like a Christmas present, you could perhaps think of giving them a goat, a tree, a mosquito net, or maybe they would like a donkey!  We will send Certificates, and provide whatever you choose. There are Certificates at the back of church.  Your gift to someone you love, will help save a little one’s life in Darfur – a child love by a mother and a father – just like you, and me.

May I wish you all a very Happy Christmas.”

Make a difference this Christmas! Donate Goats, Mosquito Nets or Seeds to Darfur and Gift a Certificate to a loved one – just click here to order.

And don’t forget – all donations made between 1st and 31st December 2022 will be DOUBLED!! Thanks to Dame Joanna Lumley DBE FRGS and two very generous anonymous donors who together have pledged £27,500, we could raise an astonishing £55,000! This would enable us to adopt an entire village and build a kindergarten, helping over 500 children to a better future long term. We have already raised £19,000 of the £27,500 so just need £8,500 to reach our target! Please please help.  Every pound will make a difference!

Download and share a copy of our Founder’s Christmas Message 2022

Want to watch our wonderful Candlelit Christmas Concert once more?  And for those of you who couldn’t join us, catch up on the magical evening in it’s entirety here.

With grateful thanks to Amy Watson, Principal Queen’s Gate School, HezyTek Productions for filming and editing the beautiful recording for Kids for Kids, and to our wonderful sponsors DELAMERE DAIRY

All photos of the event from the brilliant Michael Blyth Photography.