BVDF Homecare are a local Tier One Homecare Provider in Blyth Northumberland with a
Compliment of over 100 staff and over 250 service users. We decided back in October to
Host a Christmas Tea Dance for some of our most vulnerable and elderly service users.
After a lot of hard work and organisation from the office team and our board of directors
We were ready to go ahead on the 01/12/2022.
Now before we get into all of the fun of the day I feel that some thanks are due to the many
People and organisations who helped us to make all of this possible so here goes.
A big thank you firstly to Father Quinn and Elsie from St Wilfred’s Catholic Church for allowing
us to use their fabulous venue to hold the festivities. A big thanks also to Lazy Days Café for
the beautiful food they provided. Thank you to our entertainment for the day, an excellent
percussion session from Rhythm Stix LD Band, Hymns from the Fabulous Bede Academy Choir
And a session of Christmas favourite hits by the amazing Mr. Eddie Shand. I would also like to
extend a big thank you to all of the great businesses in our lovely town who so kindly donated
to our cause, so thanks to Morrison’s, Iceland, Asda, Greggs, boots and last but by no means
least our very own Lesley Patterson and Jimmy Bradford Northumbria Steel Fixing Ltd.

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Now back to our event doors opened at 1pm and all guests began arriving shortly after.
Once everyone was settled into their allocated seating the party began with an upbeat percussion
Set from the brilliant LD Band Rhythm Stix.  Rhythm Stix came all the way from the
Potter Gate Centre in Alnwick now if you have not had the pleasure of seeing a performance
From the Band I can highly recommend it as they certainly had everyone’s feet tapping and
Hands waving and clapping to the rhythm. In actual fact we were not the only ones enjoying
Ourselves “they were too” so much as to say they decided to stay behind after their set and
Join in the party which was wonderful.

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How on earth do we top that now!!! Bring in Bede Academy Choir “Fabulous”
The Choir were so eager to go I barely had time to introduce them before they all burst into song
With some of our most favourite Christmas Carols “Angelic springs to mind” all of our guests
Were in raptures and mesmerised by the performance you could hear a pin drop at times.
I must say I have been lucky enough to see the Choir once before, being lucky enough to have
visited on of the Academy’s community days and once again they did not disappoint and went
down a treat with everyone.

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Following the excellent performance from the Bede Academy Choir we had a small interlude to
Enjoy our High tea and beverages which was amazingly delicious and sought locally from Russell

And the team at Lazy Days Café, “if you are thinking of having a party I can highly recommend
Them” the food was exceptional and also the customer service was second to none.
Once everyone had enjoyed their meal and “doggy bags in lap for later” we held our Raffle,
all proceeds to Maggie’s Care Centres. For those who are unaware of the excellent work
that Maggie’s do. Maggie’s offer the best possible support free to anyone with Cancer and their
Families, who come through the door. You can find their centres alongside NHS Hospitals and
They also offer support to people in need online. Any way I digress, so back to the event.

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Our next entertainer Mr. Eddie Shand is a singer who has raised lots of money for and supported
Maggie’s Charity for many years now. Eddie has sung all over the North East for over 30 years
now even auditioning for Britain’s got Talent. Eddie enthralled all of the guests “and staff” I might
add with some great numbers and Christmas bangers from over the years. Eddie had the whole
place rocking in moments getting everyone young and old out of their seats for a bit of a dance.
This rounded off our event in fantastic fashion even though some of our team had some sore limbs
This morning. The event finally ending all of our guests left the venue with some
of the biggest smiles I have ever seen on their faces and gratitude that quite frankly made me the
proudest I have felt in all of my working career. It was such an honour to be part of such
an amazing team of individuals who all came together to make this event possible and we all
hope to be able to do this all again in the near future to help enrich the lives of our service users.