Dame Judi Dench has enlisted the help of her celebrity friends to champion a charity campaign for disabled people and carers.
Revitalise, which runs Jubilee Lodge Respite Centre, High Road, Chigwell, has launched a Wish You Were Here campaign to highlight the importance of holidays, especially for disabled people and carers, who find getting away particularly difficult.
As the demise of the traditional postcard becomes a hot news topic, the charity is inviting celebrities to send in their treasured holiday moments in through this medium.
Well-known public figures, including Sir Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Alex Brooker, Warwick Davis, Jo Brand and stars of Game of Thrones have already sent in contributions.
“Holidays are important and nothing says ‘holiday’ more eloquently than the ritual of sending a postcard to someone you care about,” said Revitalise CEO Chris Simmonds.
“People like to share, and often it’s the sharing of treasured memories with loved ones that makes a holiday special.
“Of course, for disabled people and carers, holidays are even more important, because in many cases they represent the only opportunity for them to take a break from the difficult daily routine of caring and being cared for.
“From our own experience we know that many experience huge problems in accessing proper breaks away.”
The launch of the campaign comes hot on the heels of the announcement that the UK’s oldest manufacturer of postcards is set to close as holidaymakers switch to social media and apps to record and send holiday memories.
Celebrities, together with Revitalise guests and volunteers, are being offered the opportunity to doodle or describe their most treasured holiday memories on specially produced postcards.
The charity will hold a special exhibition of the postcards it receives next year and the celebrity contributions will then be auctioned to raise much-needed funds for Revitalise.
“We are so pleased that our good friend Dame Judi Dench has agreed to front this new campaign,” added Mr Simmonds.
“It clearly resonates with a great many people, who have already taken the time to doodle or describe their fondest holiday memories.”
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