Carol Celebration held at HMP Brixton to raise funds for Forward

Forward staff, including members from the team at HMP Brixton, helped to run the event on the night, aided by some of the Peer Supporters. The evening was organised by Friends of Forward (our Ambassador group who fundraise for us) and raised over £13,000. 

Fundraising Officer Alexandra Lang shared her experience of the evening:

“The celebration was held in the Chapel, which was beautifully decorated. There was a big Christmas tree on one side of the stage and beautiful decorations hung around the room, including large snowflakes and coloured garlands. 

“It was amazing to see the space in which we had spent the afternoon preparing suddenly transform with the help of a few decorations, some mince pies and biscuits from The Bad Boys Bakery and excited guests. We could feel that the choir and band, comprised of serving prisoners, were nervous, as it was their first time performing in front of 90 people. But when the music started, all the apprehension seemed to disappear, and instead gave way to feelings of joy and emotion.

“One of the most impressive moments was the performance by Mara Carlyle, the well-known singer, who performed a beautiful piece on a musical saw that she played with a bow, positioned like a cello and bent in different positions to emit stunning, high-pitched sounds.

“I also loved the texts read by Jonathan Pryce, the famous actor and singer. The highlight, however, was the address by Linval, one of our graduates who was about to be released from prison soon after Christmas – I was so moved by his speech, as well as those of other former clients. 

The evening ended with a rendition of ‘Feliz Navidad’, with attendees joining the band and choir to sing with one voice. It was a beautiful end to a great night, which raised a fantastic amount for the charity.”