Ferey family festivities

‘Twas the night before Christmas and over the last few years, it has become something of a tradition in our family that my wonderful sister and her partner, invite the whole family up to their home on Christmas Day and spoil us rotten with the best festive offerings you could ever wish for. Every year I try to repay their generosity by at least doing the dishes and this offer is always met with a firm rebuttal and an explanation of ‘No you're here to enjoy yourself, to eat and relax.’ As hard as I might try my efforts to assist are always politely declined.

All of this usually makes for a stress-free day for all of us who are fortunate enough to be invited to the feast, and of course, last year we did not get the opportunity to get-together because we decided for various reasons to be ultra-cautious with the Covid restrictions which were in place at the time. We therefore spent Christmas in our own homes.

This year will be different, and we will once again be returning to the warmth of my sister’s home to enjoy their hospitality. What a great privilege it is to be able to thank them both publicly.

Many people in Jersey are extremely generous with their time and resources, not just at Christmas but throughout the year. I recently encountered an example of this generosity when I looked on the Headway Jersey website and investigated the funding streams that sit behind the ‘donate’ button on the front page. I quickly realised that people have given sums of money either as a single payment donation or as a regular monthly contribution, without ever expecting to receive a thank you.

While we, as a charity, make every effort to contact anyone who supports us, some people wish to remain anonymous. So, I say to anyone who has supported us this year, or in the past, who we have not had the ability to acknowledge in person, a big thank you for your support. You know who you are.

As I sit down to Christmas lunch this year and tuck into the splendid offerings that my family have created for us all to enjoy, I will raise a glass to all those who have shown real altruism in our community over the last two years, you are the people who make Jersey tick. I wish you all deep joy this Christmas.

Malcolm Ferey is the CEO of Headway Jersey and has worked within the charity sector for over a decade. He maintains a keen interest in providing solutions and resolving issues that affect the local community.?