Reepham's first ever Festival of Light was a wonderful, magical evening. Crowds of people turned up in the market place and - wonderfully - stayed for hours!
Thank you, Reepham, for making it special. Your support was fantastic.
I'd like to take this opportunity to say a special thank-you to some of the individuals and organisations that helped to make it such a success.
Firstly, huge thanks to our fabulous Children's Entertainer, Graham Andrew of Funforce. It wasn't just his lights, music, PA system, space hopper animals, bubbles and "snow" that made the difference - parents and children alike were drawn in and made to feel that they were sharing some special moments. Both on the night and in the run up to the event, his contribution was invaluable and we're so lucky to have him as part of Reepham's community. If you want to know more about his entertainment and party services see www.funforce.com.
The next big thank-you goes to The Original Cottage Company who not only hosted Santa's Grotto but also provided a valuable resource in the form of Michele - a key member of the FOL team.
The Festival of Light was an event that was organised by a group made up of many of Reepham's organisations, including the Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, the Church, the Reepham Society, the Bircham Centre, Reepham Craft Fairs and Reepham Life, so thanks go to all of them. Another key part of the team was the Reepham Town Council who provided not only funding for lights and the children's presents from Santa, but also the support and time of the Town Clerk, Jo. Many thanks for that as without her hard work, we wouldn't have had all those amazing stalls.
For me, the most enchanting moment was the children's lantern parade - it brought tears to my eyes! This was made possible thanks to our Rector, Margaret, and the support and cooperation of the Primary School Headmistress and staff. A special thank-you goes to Broadland District Council who funded the after-school workshop at the Primary School.
Broadland District Council also provided a grant to help fund the evening which covered the cost of important elements such as the presence of St John's Ambulance.
Another group to thank is Reepham's fire service who allowed our stallholders to park behind the fire station.
Another special thank you goes to David and his team at ElecTech who worked tirelessly to make sure our Christmas lights were up and running on time.
The shops and businesses in Reepham all played their part in supporting the event by hosting entertainers and special events on the night. There are too many to list, but thank you all.
A final thank you goes to Andy who arrived in style dressed in a special suit! I don't want to dispel any illusions so won't say more, but he was an excellent example of that very special character!