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30 Jan 2025
Christmas Party Success!
On the 21st of December, RSD put on a Christmas Party for our clients in the IA Hotel. Over the past month, we have been reflecting on the party, and after speaking to clients, we are sharing the tales of the day!
One of the guests at the party gave us an overview of the day:
“The day started with a band playing outside… their joyful music inviting everyone to join in and try their hands at different instruments”
“There was then music and dancing in the hotel lobby with a very lively atmosphere”
“Soon a story teller came… children gathered for a story where they learned important lessons particularly about sharing.”
All the guests then had a plate of party food to settle in to the Christmas spirit!
One of the guests continued to describe the rest of the evening:
“Just when everyone thought the night couldn’t get any better, then Santa himself walked in filling the lobby with his joyful laughter. Children were delighted to see him while the adults couldn’t help but smile. The evening ended with everyone singing their hearts out for Santa and then he distributed gift to both children and adults.”
We would like to thank Souad, our resettlement and outreach coordinator, for the effort she put in organising the whole day, which was a huge success.
Souad had this to say about the party:
“The Christmas party this year was amazing. It started for me in the beginning of November! I started the preparation, talking with the guests and other organisations who donated children’s gifts. I had to make a timetable for the day because it was such a big day!”
“The timetable was for people who were coming to perform. I had to prepare the common room, the lounge which we decorated the day before, along with a Christmas card making day for all the children so they could send Christmas cards this year.”
“On the day it was really amazing, full of excitement and we enjoyed it.”
Souad also outlined some of the other preparation that took place:
“On the Friday night I went to buy all the cakes and juices for everyone. In the morning [of the party] we had to make sure everyone had a share of the cakes and chocolates and things like that.”
“Every half an hour or hour we had a new performance of something so it was really busy with lots of dancing. I tried to learn how to dance Samba! It was really amazing and I felt that the vibe was there, it was really nice - so many happy people!”
“They were happy, engaged in dancing to the music, engaged with storytelling, and then we ended with Father Christmas giving gifts and it was really good. It was really, really good.”
We would also like to thank Valentina, our drop-in coordinator, for organising the musical entertainment for the day, which clearly was a highlight!
RSD would like to also extend our thanks to Exeter Rediscovery Church, XR Samba band, Shumba Arts, The International Café, Belmont Exeter, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Devon County Council, for donating towards gifts and facilitating such a fantastic day.
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