Father Christmas star of light switch-on in Pewsey (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Father Christmas star of light switch-on in Pewsey

10:44am Monday 7th December 2009

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Father Christmas arriving in a horse drawn sleigh in Pewsey on Saturday and being greeted by a shower of snow could only mean one thing...the launch of festivities in the village with its annual Christmas Fair.

This hugely popular event was started six years ago and not only provides the village with a springboard into Christmas it raises money for a different charity each year.

This year the charity was in aid of Cancer Research UK in memory of former long serving councillor, school governor and carnival supporter Colin Lampard who died from cancer in August.

One of the organisers, Bob Lewis, said: “We hope we will have raised about £1,000 for CRUK in Colin’s memory.”

The format was changed this year and instead of having stalls spread out along North Street the event was concentrated at the Bouverie Hall and Methodist Church centre with marquees in the hall car park which provided welcome shelter for charity and craft stalls from cold, sleeting rain.

A snow machine provided a carpet of snow outside the Bouverie Hall to greet visitors in Christmas style.

The event was organised by Pewsey Area Community Trust whose chairman Terry Kemp introduced David Newbigging, national chairman of CRUK who lives locally and who opened the event.

At the end of the afternoon a procession wound its way from the Bouverie Hall to the Market Place where Carnival Queen Fawn Blair switched on the Christmas lights.

Villagers joined in carols around the illuminated tree in the Market Place accompanied by Kings Korner Band and Pewsey Choir.

The afternoon was brought to a close with an illuminated duck race on the River Avon from the High Street to Rectory Grove where the first duck fished out of the water belonged to the afternoon’s guest Mr Newbigging.

Villagers are invited to join in carol singing on Friday evening from 7.30pm starting from the Fire Station.

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