Set of six comical country sheep coasters by Claughton Images
Price:£11.70
Cockfield gets Christmas spirit
Dec 12, 2002
CHRISTMAS came to Cockfield early this year as the entire village (well, nearly) turned out to support the children’s lantern parade and the lighting of the Christmas tree on the green, on Thursday.The support shown by the village was much-appreciated by the lighting committee and the school, who had put in months of planning to make this a special event for young and old alike.
The Christmas tree had been donated by Lord Barnard, and money towards the event had come from donations and fund-raising activities. B&Q had given plants and bulbs, and Sally Baum, headteacher at Cockfield School, gave permission for a scrap bank to come into school for five afternoons to make lanterns for the procession. Mrs B Sowerby made lanterns for the mother and toddler group. Funding had also been received from Teesdale Council’s arts development department and Awards For All.
A Christmas card competition was entered by the school-children, and the overall winner was Dana Burgess, who switched the Christmas tree lights on to applause.
Other winners were: Class 1, Joshua Barker; Class 2, Phoebe Walker; Class 3, Amy Leigh Noel; Class 4, Aimee Howell and Class 5, Robyn Wilkinson.
The competition was judged by Dr Dilys Waller and Dr Anne Neville, who opened the event and presented the prizes. A special prize was kindly donated by Connelly’s toy shop for the over-all winner of the Christmas card competition, which the committee hopes to have printed for sale in 2003. Hayley Sams and George McClure presented bouquets to the doctors for their support.
Middleton-in-Teesdale Brass Band were there, adding the festival music, which was appreciated by all. Santa Claus also paid a visit, in his special grotto on the village green, which attracted an enormous queue of eager children, each of whom received a present. The night was rounded off with light refreshments in the Methodist Chapel.
• The lighting committee are: M Bainbridge, chairman; D Dowson, secretary; Pat Hammond, treasurer; Pauline Charlton, J Simpson, Dorothy Paterson, Jackie Jackson, E Nodding, Brenda Singleton and Emily Rendell-Davis.