Edenbridge Community Christmas Association Volunteers“1st December 2018 saw us host our first Christmas Extravaganza in Edenbridge High Street following a year of very hard work setting up the Association and organising numerous fund raising events and seeking grants from various local established groups and charitable causes. The first year was made possible by a huge amount of personal effort from the ever-expanding committee together with the financial donations made by Edenbridge Town Council, The Great Stone Bridge Trust and Edenbridge Bonfire Society.

Such was the effort by the team to provide a fun filled day for the local community, we were nominated by Edenbridge Town Council to be recognised in the Sevenoaks District Council “Making It Happen” award scheme. We were thrilled to be included in the final held in St Nicholas Church in Sevenoaks but although we did not win our group we were award with a Certificate of Achievement of which we are all very proud.

The success of the day, and the recognition by the community of the effort put in by the committee, has provided us with the enthusiasm to continue with this event and we have been working throughout the year to again raise funds to improve the Christmas Lights and enhance the actual event on the day, to be held this year on Saturday 30th November 2019.

The Association are volunteers who provide their time for the benefit of the community giving up weekends and evenings to plan, prepare and organise the event. There is a huge ECCA Quiz Night at the WI Hallamount of background work required to allow these types of event to take place.

This year we have received financial support from Kent County Council, The Great Stonebridge Trust, Edenbridge Town Council and The Rotary Club of Edenbridge & Westerham, plus various individual donations.

Last month we held our first Quiz Night which in addition to the public donations made earlier in the year for the Christmas Lights through our Facebook page plus the raffle held at Uncorked has meant that we have been able to renovate the old lights and purchase some new ones, which will all appear at various locations in the High Street.

We look forward to seeing you again this year on Saturday 30th November 2019 for another fantastic day.”           

– Edenbridge Community Christmas Association

Featured in: Issue 103 – November/December 2019