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Second Day of ubu Christmas Sparkle Celebrations

Christmas sparkle for a family in York


Neighbours have described John and Carol as the perfect neighbours “the best one could wish for”.

John has had emphysema for several years now and although he would never admit that his condition is not improving, he is finding it difficult to do some of the simplest of things. Even walking their beloved Yorkshire Terrier is becoming almost impossible for him now. Carol also has suffered with ill health for the last few years; she has recently had her second knee replacement and so she too is limited to what she can do.

Neither of them is able to work because of their ill-health. Just getting by is sometimes a struggle emotionally and financially. However they carry on through the hardest of times, always trying to be cheerful and somehow managing to cope with whatever life throws at them.


Over the last few years, John and Carol have helped to look at after their granddaughter Hollie because her mum has not been well enough to take care of her at times. Earlier this year they received some terrible news that turned their lives upside down. Their daughter, Hollies mum, had sadly passed away. They were devastated as a family. Hollie was left without a mum at such a young age. Carol and John had lost their only daughter.


This has been incredibly tough on the family, especially Hollie. Although she is receiving counselling, some days are really hard for her to get through. Watching over and listening to a young person as they struggle to deal with the loss is almost unbearable. It is something we all would find heart breaking.

John and Carol take each day as it comes, some good days some bad days, they try to smile for Hollie’s sake, but in the inside they are crippled with pain. They don’t know how they will get through this Christmas without their daughter or how Hollie will get through it without her mum.


People we serve and ubu team members in York thought they would try and light up the lives of these good neighbours. Even if it were only for a few minutes then it would be worth it. A chance to smile not just on the outside but also for a little while on the inside too might really help. A chance to forget the pain they going through and to put it at the back of their minds for a few moments and have an enjoyable time as a family.


So using £50 donated by ubu, the local enabling team and people we serve were able to buy some tickets for the traditional pantomime in York, which this year is “Aladdin – A Wish Come True”. It will be a fun day out for the whole family. A time to have a few laughs and some quality time together.

When the team went over to visit and present them with the panto tickets, John, Carol and Hollie said that they were “thrilled to have chance to go and enjoy a family day out”. John said it is their wedding anniversary in December and usually they would not be going anyway so having this opportunity is even more special and lovely. Carol said “Thank you all so very much, we will look forward to our special day out together”.


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