*EVENT*DECEMBER 2024

How many elves can fit in the Reading Minster?

A Berkshire-based charity is attempting to find out how many elves can fit into the Reading Minster this Christmas.

Parents And Children Together (PACT) is hosting a fun and family-friendly carol concert at Reading’s iconic Reading Minster to support children, women and families affected by trauma.

This year’s elf-themed event will take place on Saturday 7th December 2024. Everyone is welcome to come for refreshments and entertainment from Magician, Kye Harmsworth at 3pm before the carols at 4pm.

PACT has been building and strengthening families since 1911. PACT creates families through adoption services and provides lifelong adoption support, it empowers women who face multiple disadvantages to make positive changes to their lives through its Alana House community project and it supports children to heal from the trauma of domestic abuse through its Bounce Back 4 Kids programme. 

Carols at the Minster promises to be a fun event where children (and adults) are invited to dress up as an elf if they wish, and enjoy performances from PACT Christmas Choir, Universal Voices (Reading University children’s community choir), Thames Valley Gay Chorus, Out of the Blue, Pianist Nolan Chenchery and compere Chief Elf, Rosie.

PACT Chief Executive Natausha van Vliet said: “This year’s Carols at the Minster promises to be a fun-packed start to this year’s festive season.

“Our Carols at the Minster is such important event for PACT. It is a time for our fantastic community to come together and celebrate while supporting the crucial work PACT does every day with children, families and women affected by trauma.

“We are grateful to the team at the Minster, all the performers for supporting PACT’s work and everyone who joins us to help make this such a great event. I can’t wait to see everyone.”

Tickets cost £12 for adults and £3 for children. A £16 family ticket can be purchased for one adult and two children or a £26 ticket for two adults and two children. Visit www.pactcharity.org/support-us/carols2024 for more information and to book.

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Notes to Editors

For more information please contact:

Sam Ward, Events and Engagement Manager

events@pactcharity.org | 0118 402 1695

About PACT:

PACT has been building and strengthening families since 1911 through its community projects across the Thames Valley and as an independent adoption charity in London and the South.

PACT is one of the leading adoption charities in the Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies (CVAA) in terms of placing children with loving families. In 2023 – 2024 we placed 78 children with 54 PACT adoptive families through its adoption services.

PACT’s adoption services were rated outstanding by Ofsted in all areas in 2014, 2017 and 2023.

PACT provides bespoke adoption support packages in the form of therapeutic support, counselling, advice, training, virtual events and support in education. In 2023 – 2024 193 families were supported by PACT’s adoption support team.

86 families attended family fun days and 4,334 parents, caregivers and professionals were members of our online support platform CATCH - Children And Trauma Community Hub.

PACT runs Alana House in Reading which supports and enables women to address particular behaviours and assess life circumstances that may have put them in a vulnerable position or at risk of offending. In 2023-2024 181 women have accessed support at Alana House.

PACT’s other community project is Bounce Back 4 Kids (BB4K) which is a recovery programme for children and families affected by domestic abuse. In 2023 - 2024 the BB4K project supported 133 children and 257 families.