Dame Judi Dench Enlists Host of Celebrities to Champion Holidays For Disabled
Celebrities including Sir Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Alex Brooker, Warwick Davis, Jo Brand and stars of Game of Thrones already sent contributions
Holidays are important and nothing says ‘holiday’ more eloquently than the ritual of sending a postcard to someone you care about. People like to share, and often it’s the sharing of treasured memories with loved ones that makes a holiday special.
Postcards epitomise this simple act of sharing. However, there is currently a demise of the traditional postcard which is increasingly becoming a hot news topic, and so national charity Revitalise has launched Wish You Were Here, a campaign inviting celebrities to send in their treasured holiday moments. The charity wants to highlight the importance of holidays, especially for disabled people and carers, who find getting away particularly difficult.
Revitalise CEO Chris Simmonds commented: “Of course, for disabled people and carers, holidays are even more important, because in many cases they represent the only opportunity for them to take a break from the difficult daily routine of caring and being cared for. From our own experience we know that many experience huge problems in accessing proper breaks away.”
The campaign, fronted by the charity’s Vice President Dame Judi Dench, has already attracted contributions from a host of celebrities, including Sir Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson, and the charity is busy inviting contributions from many more.
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The launch of the campaign comes hot on the heels of the announcement that the UK’s oldest manufacturer of postcards is to set to close as holidaymakers switch to social media and apps to record and send holiday memories.
Wish You Were Here is designed to celebrate the sharing of holiday memories, since the opportunity to share one’s stories with others is the single most valued aspect of Revitalise’s holidays, according to the charity’s guests. Celebrities, together with Revitalise guests and volunteers, are being offered the opportunity to doodle or describe their most treasured holiday memories on specially produced postcards.
Revitalise is to hold a special exhibition of the postcards it receives next year. The celebrity contributions will then be auctioned to raise much-needed funds for the charity.
“We are so pleased that our good friend Dame Judi Dench has agreed to front this new campaign. It clearly resonates with a great many people, who have already taken the time to doodle or describe their fondest holiday memories.” Says Chris Simmonds, CEO at Revitalise. “This campaign is designed to highlight the importance of holidays for everyone, irrespective of their circumstances.”
Revitalise is a national charity providing respite holidays for disabled people and carers, combining 24-hour nurse-led care with a real holiday experience at its three accessible UK holiday centres in Chigwell in Essex, Southampton and Southport. Each centre offers a wide range of accessible activities and excursions in a holiday environment.