We will be kicking off the Christmas season in style with the annual Christmas Fair in the Square on 10 December. Regulars know that it is a joyous occasion with plenty of mulled wine, home-made cakes and produce, and community carol-singing in exultation. Elves Arl and Tonia have promised to join us, and if we’ve all been nice and not too naughty maybe a kind and bearded visitor from Lapland will avoid the border police and join us with a sackful of sweets.
We’ll be shaking buckets and waving card readers to raise funds for Pack Up, the Monday lunch club at St James’ Hall for the homeless and needy. Once again they’ll be hosting a Christmas lunch with all the trimmings for those who most need their help. At the Christmas Fair we’ll have a table for donations of small gifts for goody bags for this Christmas lunch. Please consider donating presents such as warm socks, shower gel, shampoo,toothpaste, toothbrushes, wipes, tissues and sweets, deodorant sprays and disposable razors for men and deodorant for women. Small gifts like these mean so much to the recipients. We will also welcome staple goods like teabags, instant coffee, sugar, bottles of squash, packets of biscuits, tins of cream of tomato soup and tins of fruit. They’ll all help Pack Up provide the comforting hot meals they serve every Monday.
So do join us in Arlington Square on Sunday 10 December from 3:30 to 5:30pm for mulled wine, calorific cakes, local produce and much festive jollity. Our celestial ‘choir’ will start the community carol singing at around 4pm.
Yes – you guessed it. This happy event notice wouldn’t be complete without a Big Shout Out for your HELP! We need help setting up from 2pm and clearing away at 5:30pm. And we’d like more volunteers to help serve the mince pies and cakes, sell our local produce, shake the donation buckets and keep an eye on the donated gifts table. Please consider lending a hand. If you can help, let us know at arlingtonassociation@hotmail.co.uk.
Calling all bakers: we need cakes and mince pies to help soak up all the mulled wine. Please bring your contributions to the square any time from 2.30. Home-made or shop-bought, every bite is welcome.