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23 posts about Christmas on this blog
Thursday 13 December 2012, 13:42
The Christmas story, day-by-day from the perspective of those it first touched.
Read more about Christmas Diaries
Friday 7 December 2012, 15:09
As soon as I was instituted as vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square six months ago, this was something I knew I needed to do. If I was going to speak publicly about these issues I needed to know what sleeping outside felt like.
Friday 30 November 2012, 16:11
Some of Radio 4's best known voices will be taking shifts with the phone team at St Martin-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square.
Thursday 29 November 2012, 12:45
We are fortunate enough to have somewhere to live, which is one of the reasons why we support the St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal by making and selling Christmas puddings.
Sunday 25 December 2011, 22:30
Tempted to test your memories of the year's music, films, books and more? Then try these two:
1. What links John Cleese's Alimony Tour, The Damnation of Faust at the English National Opera and a new short opera The Doctor's Tale at the Royal Opera...
Wednesday 21 December 2011, 11:06
The morning after I had visited The Connection at St Martins, I woke up at 5 am and wasn't able to fall back asleep. It was dark and cold - the timer on the central heating not yet having kicked in - and outside icy raindrops were pinging off the bedroom window. I pulled the duvet up to my chin and...
Read more about Women and homelessness: Radio 4 St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal
Friday 9 December 2011, 12:30
I had this slightly mad idea. I knew our slideshow A Step Away from Homelessness made for the Radio 4 St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal would be showing on BBC Big Screens all round the UK. The slide show is about life on the streets, how you become invisible and how it's often difficult to be...
Read more about Radio 4 Christmas Appeal - our photographers around the UK
Monday 5 December 2011, 17:00
As I emerge from the Tube at Embankment, I step over a pile of crushed cardboard boxes, surrounded by a scatter of tins. Somebody's bed last night. It's after 9am but the cold still strikes through my fleece and I'm glad to get indoors at the building opposite St Martin-in-the-Fields which houses...
Saturday 3 December 2011, 12:32
Ed's note: The Radio 4 Christmas Appeal starts this Sunday. You can hear from people helped by previous appeals in Sally's last blog post. Details of how to donate can be found here - PM
If you phone us to give a donation on Sunday - we promise we won't play you music whilst you wait to give! You...
Read more about Making the invisible visible - The Radio 4 Christmas Appeal starts this Sunday
Thursday 24 November 2011, 16:58
One young homeless woman tells me, when you are on the streets, it is as if the world is going on normally on the other side of the glass and if you could just take one step you could step back into that world.
Another man who was homeless for over 20 years smiles: "That glass looks so thin and...
Sunday 9 January 2011, 08:16
Editor's note. We've published several photographs from the homeless photographers group at St Martin-in-the-Fields since the Christmas Appeal started. This snowy scene by Blodeuwed really emphasises how hard this Winter has been for homeless people. If you haven't made a donation yet, you can do so...
Read more about Standing on the shoulders - the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal passes £1 Million
Tuesday 28 December 2010, 10:20
Editor's note - the second instalment of Ed Reardon's midwinter odyssey. There are more to come. Still no fee - SB.
Readers of my previous posting, or message in a bottle... actually message in the hope of a bottle would be more accurate (white or red, either gratefully received) - but a hope destined...
Read more about A royalties cheque and a half-decent bottle of Barolo
Thursday 23 December 2010, 16:14
Editor's note: I have asked Radio 4's favourite journeyman-scribe Ed Reardon to document his festive season in four blog posts, to be published here between now and the first episode of his new series in the new year. Licence fee-payers may be gratified to learn that no fee was paid - SB.
It is that...
Read more about Bijou trailerettes and purloined sausage rolls
Friday 3 December 2010, 15:07
Editor's note: this blog post begins with a slideshow made by homeless photographer Jamie Winter, a member of a photography group run by The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields - SB
I once edited a Radio 4 debate about homelessness... We based it in the heart of London near Shaftesbury Avenue. The platform...
Read more about The Radio 4 Christmas Appeal begins on Sunday
Thursday 18 November 2010, 10:00
Editor's note. You can make a donation to this year's Radio 4 Christmas Appeal on the St Martin-in-the-Fields web site - SB
The service at St Martin-in-the-Fields for homeless people who have died in the past year never fails to move me. During the service the names of those who have died are read out...
Read more about The Radio 4 St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal
Wednesday 6 January 2010, 16:33
I remember 5 years ago - after my first Radio 4 Christmas at the helm - being amazed when I was told how much money listeners gave to the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal (for the work of St Martin-in-the-Fields with homeless and vulnerable people across the UK). I knew of the existence of the Appeal (it has...
Thursday 24 December 2009, 12:01
It went like this. I called the nice people in the Radio Times press office and asked if I might have a pile of Christmas double issues for a special project on the blog. They arrived in the internal post the following day and I started sending them out to important Radio 4 people. A handful weren't...
Tuesday 22 December 2009, 17:44
Mark Damazer, as I'm sure you know, is the boss. The Controller of BBC Radio 4. So he's responsible for every one of the 13,000 or so programmes commissioned annually by Radio 4 and - in my own experience - he has an opinion about every one of them.
So, can there be a more interesting or influential selection...
Friday 18 December 2009, 16:46
They don't call it 'the legendary Christmas issue' for nothing. The Radio Times at Christmas is a genuine publishing event. Still, in the age of the web and free listings pull-outs, the 274-page issue (the first to feature two different covers since 1923) will sell well over 2 million copies and clear...
Tuesday 8 December 2009, 23:06
Sunday, December 6th: Appeal day. The taxi drops me at St Martin's before 0700. It's dark, it's raining, and I notice two men sheltering with their belongings as best they can on the steps of the church. Into the office to switch on computers and a last-minute test of the phones.
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