A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS

For many years a team of dedicated members of NENG has ensured that the shopping centre is brightened up for Christmas by putting up Christmas Trees in time for the Farmers’ Market and the festive period itself. The first task every year is to prepare the trees by trimming the bottom of the tree trunks so that they will fit into the brackets on the walls. Then they have to wind the lights around the trees and secure them carefully before climbing ladders to put them all in place. It has meant many hours of work outdoors in sometimes very cold weather. Heroic work, noticed and appreciated by all who pass by.

This year there will be no market but the trees are now in place and they are better than ever. The trees are bigger than usual and there are more lights. In addition we have been able to extend the decorations across the road to the tree by the benches. Our thanks go to Kath Willcox who has kindly donated a long string of fairy lights for the tree and to Ash Gray who has persuaded many of the shops and flats above them to put fairy lights around their windows.

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LETTERS TO SANTA

As a result of the market cancellation there will of course be no grotto this year. On the other hand we are sure that children will be delighted to know that we have arranged for a special letter box to be erected outside Wickwire where they can post their letters to Santa. It will be available from Saturday December 12th to Tuesday 23rd December. Santa's gnomes and elves will collect them each night and take them directly to the North Pole. And who knows, we may persuade Santa to visit the letter box himself on one of those days.

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