Teenager who wrote to Kate among Christmas carol service congregation
Olivia Bowditch sent a letter to the Princess of Wales earlier this year, sharing her support and telling her about her volunteer work.
A teenager who sends letters of support to cancer patients and the first man to run the London Marathon with an oxygen machine will be among guests at a Christmas carol service hosted by the Princess of Wales.
Love and empathy are the themes of this year’s event which will celebrate individuals who have supported others.
Taking her seat in Westminster Abbey will be 18-year-old Olivia Bowditch from Dorset.
She volunteers at a charity called From Me To You Letters which sends anonymous messages to cancer patients to make them feel loved and supported.
She has been a volunteer for a number of years and wanted to help people experiencing cancer feel less lonely.
Ms Bowditch sent a letter to Kate earlier this year, sharing her support and telling her about the charity and her volunteer work.
Shyla Brown, nine, from Cambridgeshire, who has raised more than £2,000 walking marathons, running bake sales and cycling 100 miles around Wisbech, will also be among the congregation.
Her best friend at primary school, Harrison, and his brother suffer from the degenerative Batten disease – a lifelong condition affecting sight, memory and physical ability.
All the money raised went to Harrison’s family.
Diven Halai, who lives with interstitial lung disease, will also be at the abbey.
In 2022, Mr Halai, from London, became the first man to run the London Marathon with an oxygen machine, raising £20,000 for Asthma + Lung UK.
He has since taken part in the Vitality 10K, Royal Parks Half Marathon and the London 10K for Asthma + Lung UK.
He has also inspired 24 friends, family and colleagues to get involved in running events to raise money.
Also taking their seats at the service will be Allen Vesper Miller and Joan Miller, a couple in their 80s from Moray in Scotland.
The pair regularly show empathy and kindness in their local community, taking their neighbours to hospital appointments, which is a round trip of five hours driving.
They have also cared for a terminally ill neighbour with kidney failure and are involved in village activities.
A Paralympian will also be among the congregation in the form of swimmer Ellie Challis, from Essex.
At 16 months old, she lost her lower limbs and arms through meningitis.
She went on to become a Paralympic swimmer for Team GB, clinching a gold medal at the Paris Games this year.
Christopher Hall, from Hertfordshire, founder of the Christopher Hall Foundation which focuses on promoting empowerment and inclusivity through the power of photography, will be in the abbey as well.
He was homeless for two years and, through support from a charity, he found a talent for photography which helped get him back on his feet.
He is passionate about giving a voice to those facing adversity and discrimination.
