Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

The Christmas charity bazar like no other soon to hit the city

- By Ruqyyaha Deane

You know that the season of Christmas is near when the Spa Ceylon Internatio­nal Christmas Charity Bazaar (ICCB) takes place giving shoppers a great opportunit­y to pick up some exciting offers. Launched in the 80s, the ICCB is much awaited by those looking to purchase seasonal goodies and food items which are not readily available locally.

The ICCB will take place once again at the Galle Face Hotel (GFH) on November 24 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. and the hotel is opening up not just the ballroom facilities which includes the Jubilee Ballroom and the Palm Lounge, but also the entire Verandah and Checkerboa­rd area mainly for brunch, live entertainm­ent and music. “It will be great fun and games for the kids too,” General Manager at GFH Wendell Rebeira said. There will also be a high tea corner, a BBQ and new exciting dishes served at affordable rates, not to mention magicians for the kids.

Parking will be at the hotel premises and a space on Galle Face Green has also been allocated.

Both the Spa Ceylon ICCB organising committee and GFH have ensured security measures for the safety of guests and visitors. Working with the police, they have arranged a separate lane on Galle Road for vehicles that are coming into the bazaar which will reduce the risk of traffic congestion as well as help quicken the process of security checks.

“ICCB is a great way of partnering with the community and it is towards a great cause too. What’s different this year is that this time it’s not just the bazaar but we are opening up the entire property and inviting people to spend the day with us,” Mr. Rebeira said.

This event is not just about buying. The committee aims to increase the collection each year in the true spirit of the season of giving and it is the charities and their communitie­s who will benefit most importantl­y from the success of the bazaar. These include the Lady Ridgeway Hospital’s Little Hearts project to help children with heart defects, EASE, Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation, the Convent of Perpetual Help, Apé Lanka to name a few.

Tickets priced at Rs. 700 are available at selected Spa Ceylon outlets - Colombo 3, Leyn Baan Street, Galle Fort Dutch Hospital, Kotte, Ward Place, Pelawatte and Bambalapit­iya.

For more informatio­n, see Facebook - https://www.facebook. com/Internatio­nal Christmas Charity Bazaar Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iccb/srilanka

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