A December to remember!

The winter holiday period is always a special time at Sheffield Mencap and Gateway. It’s a chance to bring our community together and enjoy shared experiences. While not all our members celebrate Christmas, everybody enjoys celebrating friends, food and festive fun.

December was full of wonderful winter activities, including a trip to see Aladdin in panto on 11 December. Fifty-five members, volunteers and staff travelled to The Lyceum Theatre to enjoy the show, which was packed with laughs, music and plenty of audience participation. It was a brilliant day out – thank you to Sheffield Theatres.

The celebrations continued on Friday 12 December with our Christmas lunch, attended by over 50 people. Members got creative making decorations and setting the tables, and the space looked fantastic as a result. Everyone enjoyed good food, time together, and a special visit from St Theresa’s School Choir to sing Christmas Carols.

We also wrapped up and headed out to enjoy some seasonal sights, with visits to the Sheffield Christmas Markets and Doncaster’s Festival of Lights. Members loved browsing the stalls and treating themselves at the markets, and were impressed by the beautiful lights and decorations throughout both visits.

Reflecting on the celebrations, Jennifer Baldwin, Service Manage, said:

“This time of year is about bringing everyone together. It doesn’t matter how people celebrate – what matters is that our members feel included, valued and able to enjoy being part of something shared. Seeing everyone having fun and spending time together has been really special.”

We hope that you have a wonderful winter break, however you celebrate.