WATERLOOVILLE COMES TOGETHER FOR THEIR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!

While some towns moan that council cuts mean they have no Christmas Lights – Waterlooville came together this weekend to create a great event to switch theirs on.

So many people gave their time for nothing:

· 10 acts performed on stage in the cold (and rain at the start of the day)
· TS Tenacity led the lantern parade and the police and air cadets provided the marshalls
· The Rotary club sent Santa and his fantastic light up sleigh (and the donkeys came!)
Princesses from Princess Party Entertainment and Friends provided photo opportunities

· And, of course, the volunteers from the Waterlooville Events team were on their feet for 9 hours (in addition to the months of work planning the event) to make sure it went as smoothly as possible.

Local Businesses played their part:

· Leaders Estate agents paid for all our advertising
· O2 sponsored 2 of the workshops for children to make their lanterns for the parade
· 24 local businesses made a donation towards the cost of installing the lights
· Clinton Electrics went the extra mile and spent far more time than budgeted for to install the lights.
· We Big Local sponsored a Lantern Workshop
· Profile productions gave us a very generous discount on the stage.
· and we must not forget Wilko who donated all the batteries for the lights

We had tremendous support from the council employees to help us through the nightmare of documentation and rules. Individual councillors also gave us some of their personal grant allowance towards two extra lantern workshops and the cost of installation.

We hope to increase the number of lights every year subject to attracting the funds to buy them. Things can always be improved so give us feedback for next year.

Overall the Waterlooville Community came together and nearly 1000 people enjoyed the entertainment and the switch on. Waterlooville should be very proud!

Thank you to Archibald &Edwards for photo

PARK WOOD IN DANGER

This wood could be lost to the community if the Woodland Trust get their way! Many people know of Park Wood. A small wood which is found on the London Road between Wallis Road and Queens Road, opposite Queens Enclosure. It is a Woodland Trust Wood. They took it over nearly 30 years ago and for the first 10 years they virtually ignored it. It became shadowed with Sycamore and laurel. It became waterlogged. It became dark and dangerous with litter, junkies, used needles, fires and in fact people were attacked in there. Not a place you wanted to enter. Then the Friends of Park Wood were formed and for nearly 20 years the friends (consisting of local residents) have maintained the wood always following a management plan as written by the Woodland Trust. The wood was transformed to what it is today. A place where you can walk. Schools use it to teach children about the environment. The blue...

FESTIVE LIGHTS, NONE FOR WATERLOOVILLE!

Some of you may have read previous blogs as I have tried to work my way through the bureaucracy of licensing and installation for festive lights in the town centre. In fairness the paperwork has been easier (was started in JUNE!) mainly because a lovely lady called Katie in Havant Borough Council has been helping me. So why am I saying there will be no festive lights in Waterlooville this year? Scottish and Southern Electrics SSE!! We have to get permission to hang the motifs from their lighting columns (also know as lamp posts!) To do that we have to get an installer approved by them!! Our installer from last year retired and we had to find a new one. To hang, plug in and flick a switch on 8 motifs, put the lights in the Xmas tree, plug in and flick a switch, and also hang some battery powered lights in the trees (and remove) Our first quote COST £3500 Which we felt was excessive. We did find a local installer, Cl...

WATERLOOVILLE in BLOOM WINNER

Waterlooville in Bloom was won by Waterlooville Community Centre with their fantastic display. Kelly Tice a volunteer from the Waterlooville Events Team can be seen presenting the trophy. Today's first engagement for the Mayor of Havant was the judging of the Waterlooville in Bloom competition. Starting at the Waterlooville Community Centre, and accompanied by Waterlooville Events Team volunteer Kelly Tice, they walked around Waterlooville town centre looking at the entries submitted by several of the shops and businesses in the area. There were some really good entries this year but, in the end, it was decided that the recipient of this year's award was the Waterlooville Community Association for their very colourful display.

Waterlooville Events Team

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