Reflections from Jamie Crabb:
Over the past month, what began with a many years conversation and hope between Richard Hubbert and I, and the Worthing half marathon fundraiser with Poppy Jaman and the B&H cheerleading team has slowly started becoming something shared and emergent.
Together we raised over £1,500 through the Worthing Half Marathon as an early starting point for creating a Christmas Day gathering for care leavers in Brighton & Hove in 2026:
Brighton & Hove Xmas Dinners 2026
Fundraiser Page
But alongside the fundraising, what has stayed with us most has been the everyday care surrounding the project.
Neighbours stopping to ask about and offer support to the project, and share personal stories. Friends offering to help cook, decorate or volunteer. Others sharing ideas, contacts, encouragement and stories. Local professionals, care experienced people and community organisations all recognising the importance of creating spaces where care leavers feel held in mind on a day that can often intensify loneliness and disconnection.
As someone who is care experienced, I didn't fully anticipate how emotionally affecting it would be to feel so much warmth and goodwill. Those interactions have carried something much bigger underneath them in recognition that care leavers deserve not only services or systems, but thoughtfulness, celebration, belonging, joy, community, warmth and most importantly care.
I cannot emphasise how much Richard Hubbert has been doing behind the scenes to make things happen. His thoughtfulness, dedication and energy are the heart of all that is happening from creating websites, to liaising with the council, visiting venues that we've almost secured, and then some... And of course Poppy Jaman, returning from her travels, jumped into a half-marathon with me to get our awareness raising and fundraising off to the most amazing start.
Over recent weeks, we’ve started meeting with local care leaver teams, community venues and supporters to think carefully about what this could become. We’ve explored ideas around accessibility, transport, quiet spaces, food, entertainment, intergenerational connection and support, ensuring the day is inclusive for all, safeguarding, creativity and community involvement.
One thing feels especially important to say clearly. Although a small group of us may have helped initiate the project, young care leavers themselves will be front and centre in shaping it.
This won't be something “done for” care leavers. The vision is for care experienced young people to help imagine it, lead it, question it, challenge it, shape the atmosphere of it, and ultimately create something that feels genuinely theirs.
Already, there is something beautiful emerging in the conversations:
- less charity, more community;
- less performance, more presence;
- less bureaucracy, more human connection.
There is still a way to go, and much practical work ahead, but we wanted to pause and say THANK YOU!
Thank you to everyone who has donated, encouraged, shared, run alongside us, connected us with others, leading upcoming fundraising activities or quietly carried care in the project so far.
It genuinely means more than we can fully put into words.
If you feel moved to join us in the journey, find our more:
Brighton & Hove Xmas Dinners 2026#CareExperienced #CareLeavers #Brighton #ChristmasDinner #Belonging #Care #BrightonAndHove #Brighton&HoveChristmasDinners
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment!