Nicola Lisle looks forward to the annual Coming of Christmas event in Dorchester

They may be more used to the big screen or the dazzling lights of the West End, but in two weeks’ time actors Juliet Stevenson and Michael Pennington will be swapping all that for the rather more subtle and tranquil setting of Dorchester Abbey.

There the only light will be the warm glow of more than a thousand candles, providing a magical backdrop for an evening of seasonal readings and music.

The popular event, now in its 20th year, is organised by the charity Hft to support adults with learning disabilities and their families.

“We are thankful and delighted that Juliet Stevenson and Michael Pennington have once again dedicated their talents at this busy time of the year for the Coming of Christmas concert,” says Hitesh Ruparelia, Hft’s regional fundraising manager. “It is a privilege to have such celebrated actors as readers.”

Olivier award-winning actress Juliet Stevenson has starred in films such as Truly Madly Deeply, Emma, Bend it Like Beckham and Mona Lisa Smiles. She is appearing in the BBC television series Atlantis, and plays Mother Theresa in a new film, Letters, due for release in March.

Actor/director Michael Pennington co-founded the English Shakespeare Company in 1986, but is probably best known as the commanding officer of the Death Star in the 1983 film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

He also played Michael Foot in The Iron Lady, opposite Meryl Streep.

The celebrity duo will read a selection of festive prose and poetry, interspersed with music performed by the Choir of Magdalen College, conducted by Daniel Hyde.

Hft, formed from the merger of the Home Farm Trust and Self Unlimited in 2013, is a national charity that provides accommodation, personalised equipment, education, training and employment opportunities to people with learning disabilities.

Hitesh explains: “We believe in giving people the freedom to live independently if that is their choice, to have a key to the front door, to be able to choose who they want to live with and where they want to live, within reason.

“So for people who can’t handle a key, or often forget keys, we put in a fingerprint lock. Or we put in a talking microwave for somebody who is visually impaired. It’s just amazing when you see the transformation in somebody’s life, being able to live independently because of a small number of things.”

Organisers hope to raise around £13,000 from the Dorchester Abbey concert, which will help to fund Hft’s work in Abingdon, Banbury and Witney. Part of the money will go to the Bytes Learning Project, which was launched in 2009 and provides training in catering and hospitality, leading to recognised qualifications and employment opportunities.

As in previous years, Bytes students will be serving the refreshments at the Dorchester Abbey concert, and these, along with a souvenir programme, are included in the price of each ticket.

“The concert promises to be something special to kick-start the coming of Christmas,” Hitesh says.

“We are expecting more than 400 people, so demand is quite high. It’s usually the beginning of the Christmas season for the people who attend every year.”

The Coming of Christmas
Dorchester Abbey
Thursday, December 11, 8pm
Tickets: 0117 906176/hft.org.uk