No lights but village plans festive cheer
NORDEN has called off its Christmas lights switch-on, but organisers say Christmas is not yet cancelled in the village.
The annual switchon, organised by Norden Environmental and Economic Village Association (NEEVA), will not be going ahead this year.
But, NEEVA still plans to bring festive cheer to everyone.
Local schools have been approached to encourage children to make a waterproof ‘bauble’ decoration 10 inches in diameter, to help decorate the village with homemade festive colour.
Shopkeepers will also be decorating their windows.
If anyone would like to donate decorations to help decorate the village, they can be dropped off at Norden Co-Op, and they will then be made into bunting to display.
Groups can also make their own bunting and incorporate their group name if they wish.
In a post, NEEVA said: “Let us take the ‘C’ from Covid and keep it in Community and Christmas.
“We are looking to collect decorations within the first two weeks of November, to enable us to get them into position through the village.
“These will complement the new lamppost decorations we have managed to secure, with some local ward funding and a contribution from NEEVA.
“We are hoping to increase the number of these each year.
“From the early stages of setting up this village event, we could not have anticipated how quickly this event would grow.
“From the first few years where we had a few hundred villagers coming together for mulled wine, food and a light switch on, to last year’s event where more or less the whole village flocking down to enjoy the mulled wine and mince pies donated by Streetwise Magazines and NEEVA, food from local businesses, entertainment from the Salvation Army, Dave Sweetmore from Revolution Radio, local school choirs, dance groups, the market stalls in Norden Bowling Club, fireworks and of course enjoying a few drinks in the local venues. Last year we even had a visit from The Grinch – in fact, we could blame him for spoiling Christmas, it is just a year too late! We are so disappointed that this event will not be going ahead this year, due to Covid, but on the other hand, it will give us another 12 months to try and make the event in 2021 so much bigger and better.
“So folks, this year, let’s make Norden village a winter wonderland.”