Stars from Dame Penelope Wilton to Zoe Wanamaker enjoyed a glamorous festive night out at the Children & the Arts 10th Anniversary Christmas Concert on Thursday. The audience, including our lucky HELLO! competition winner, were treated to incredible performances from soprano Danielle de Niese, jazz pianist Joe Stilgoe, Lisa Friend and Miranda Raison.
The glitzy gala was hosted by Aled Jones at London's Cadogan Hall, to celebrate the vital work of Children & the Arts, the only UK-wide charity which transforms the lives of disadvantaged children through participation in the arts.
The stars gathered for the Children & the Arts 10th Anniversary Christmas Concert
Guests were also treated to an extra-special performance from the pupils of St Paul's & All Hallows Juniors School in London who have benefited from the charity's work – and they wowed on the evening with their 'Caribbean Christmas' show.
Spooks actress Miranda, who performed at last year's gala, also wowed fans with her impressive vocals. "It's such a lovely event I'm really excited about, it's such an amazing evening," she told HELLO! exclusively ahead of the night. "So perfect to get everybody into the Christmas spirit."
The concert was held at London's Cadogan Hall
Founded by the Prince of Wales, Children & the Arts aims to broaden children's opportunities in life through art projects, by enabling them to attend and participate in professional performances and exhibitions for the first time at their local arts venue. These inspirational programmes help to change children's lives for the better by raising their self-esteem and confidence, and nurturing vital skills such as communication, creativity, analysis and teamwork.