The Christmas trees and the lights
Charlbury Business Community would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the display of trees and lights in the town centre again this year. What began with a few shops and offices putting up a tree has now become a major operation, with between 80 and 100 trees being ordered and delivered each year, special brackets ordered, supplied and fitted, and a significant extra workload for our treasurer!
It's different, and it's effective, and it marks Charlbury out. If you live in a street with trees but don't take part, why not think again next year when the leaflet comes through your door? It's a pity that each year Church Street has a relatively poor display when it is a particularly 'visible' street.
I'd like to thank Judith Scott for shouldering more than her fair share of the paperwork and organisation and getting the new sets of lights from John Lewis; Simon and Rhona Walker and John Hind for delivering the trees to doors, sheds and over walls on the day; Geoff Burroughs who amazingly turns up at the right time and place with all the trees trimmed and ready to drop in the brackets; Andy Faulkner who fixes the year's new brackets to walls and helps a lot of people get their trees mounted in their brackets; and to Philip at Wychwood Wrought Iron in Ascott who makes the brackets for us and always has a few spare so as not to disappoint the latecomers.
The late shopping/lighting up evening on the 3rd was a great success too, and although Mike Leggett thanked everyone publicly on the night, I must mention Mike himself, Megan Bell, Sarah Eaton, Sophie the Elf -- and of course John Lilly who donned the Santa costume for the evening. And Laura and her colleagues at The Bell who worked so hard to create a splendid grotto and make it such a convivial evening for all who attended.
And of course the redoubtable carol singers, the belligerent mummers, and those shops that opened and regaled their customers with mulled wine, mince pies, sweets, competitions and other surprises. Without the energy and enthusiasm of so many people, it would not have been the success it was.
Jon Carpenter, Chair, Charlbury Business Community
Jon Carpenter · Wed 9 Dec 2009, 17:51 · Link