Well, what a year it’s been… wow! I can’t believe how quickly it has flown by! It’s been non-stop since the beginning of January and I couldn’t be more grateful for all of your support along the way. From Strictly to The Voice, to the Bring It All Back tour and beyond, you’ve all been brilliant.
This time last year I was putting in all of the final preparations for the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special with the lovely Tristan and was about to go on my second tour with Kevin and the Strictly Come Dancing family. I was so lucky to have been able to extend my Strictly experience – a magical (and very sparkly!) time with a fabulous cast and crew – not to mention the best way to get in shape before touring the UK.
The Voice kicked off in back in January and I’ve been made to feel like one of the family so a BIG thanks to everyone there and also to last year’s #TeamRachel for making my first season on the show so unforgettable. I can’t wait to introduce you to #TeamRachel 2016… the count down to the new series begins, so make sure you tune in! I’ll be back in Ireland very soon – always a pleasure!
I couldn’t sum up this year without mentioning the Bring It All Back Tour… I’ve had time to reflect on the tour since the shows ended and I couldn’t be happier that we were able to perform for all of you again after 13 years apart. If it weren’t for you, the tour would have never have happened, so a HUGE thank you to everyone who came down to watch and party with us – I can’t thank you enough. Being back with the guys was very special, at times emotional and an experience I won’t forget.
My year has been topped of with a fantastic trip away to the Maldives with the family to spend some quality time together before 2016. But more about my trip in the new year..!
I feel very lucky to have made such wonderful memories in 2015 and Christmas for me is definitely a time of reflection. I think of all of the wonderful families that I met whilst in Florida with Caudwell Children and how privileged I was to have spent such a magical time with them. My heart and thoughts go to all of the families that I met, for what will be for some a really difficult Christmas. Trips like that really do stay in your memory and make you realise how precious life really is. I have also been thinking a lot about my incredible trip to Ethiopia with WaterAid too and meeting the lovely Ajame and her family, who really touched me. Earlier this year I found out that one in five newborn baby deaths are due to infection caused by dirty water and an unsafe environment and one child every minute dies from diseases caused by dirty water and poor sanitation. As a mum these horrifying statistics really struck a chord with me which is why I’ve been supporting WaterAid’s #DeliverLife appeal which aims to help 130,000 mums and families get clean, safe water – an incredible campaign with an incredible goal. What makes the campaign even more fantastic is that the UK Government are going to double all of the money donated up to the 10th February which means twice as many mums and babies can be helped. More on this next year too.
I’ve seen first hand what an incredible difference our money can make to WaterAid and Caudwell Children, so please, if you can, support to these two fantastic charities, all of the families that they help and I would be so grateful.
After a really knock-out year, all that’s left for me to say is… Have the most FANTASTIC Christmas and New Year!!!
I hope that all of your wishes come true and that 2016 will be the best year yet to come. I can’t wait for 2016!
Lots of love,
Rachel xx
