No place like home – Martlets celebrates return to revamped Hospice with Christmas concert featuring local choirs including Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus

Home is at the heart of Martlets’ forthcoming Christmas concert, taking place at All Saints Church in Hove on Tuesday, December 12 and featuring local choirs including Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus.

As the Sussex charity prepares to return all staff and patients to its redeveloped Hospice site in Wayfield Avenue, Hove in 2024, it is celebrating the theme of homecoming with a special evening of music and memories.

Local choirs Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, BHOS Musical Theatre Choir and the Theatre Workshop will join Martlets’ own Good Vibrations Choir to perform everything from pop hits to traditional carols at the event. The evening will be compered by BBC Radio Sussex breakfast show host Allison Ferns.

Reverend Vlada Rakin, chaplain and spiritual care lead for the charity, will address what home means both at Christmas and all-year round. He will be joined by Martlets’ director of income generation Tanya Hunt as part of the non-denominational seasonal celebration.

Tanya says: “We’re thrilled to be hosting a Christmas evening of song, celebration and remembrance and we welcome everyone from across our city to join us on December 12. Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with friends and family, but at Martlets we support people to do this all year round. We’re thrilled that our new Hospice will allow us to help even more people make the most of their time with loved ones at their end of life.”

Martlets is moving all its services back home to its newly rebuilt Hospice in Hove to provide the very best care and support for outpatients and inpatients. The new inpatient wards comprise 14 self-contained, en-suite, accessible rooms opening onto private garden spaces. There are also therapy rooms, a new sanctuary space, a bespoke gym for rehabilitation and a café providing space for patients and visitors to socialise and relax.

Martlets Homecoming Christmas Concert takes place at All Saints Church, The Drive, Hove, BN3 3QE from 7.30pm on Tuesday, December 12. Tickets cost £10 for adults and £8 for under-16s and over-65s and can be booked through the Martlets website.