Review: Joint Charities 43rd Annual Christmas Market Chandler’s Ford 2016

This morning I went to the Joint Charities 43rd Annual Christmas Market at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church.

I love this annual tradition – as it kicks off my internal clock for Christmas. It reminds me that I need to start pick up a pen, write a few Christmas cards (while adding names or crossing names off my Christmas card list as well).

This morning, former Eastleigh Mayor Councillor Jane Welsh opened the 43rd Christmas Market.

Councillor Jane Welsh praised the organisers and the good people in the community, as the event last year raised over £3,000 for more than 10 charities. She asked everyone to ‘spend, spend, spend’ for good causes.

I also met up with two Chandler’s Ford Today authors at the market, Emma Golby-Kirk, and Allison Symes.

We all bought some raffle tickets. Allison was hoping to win David’s fish and chips, and Emma and I wouldn’t mind some hair / skin / restaurant / MOT vouchers, or a box of chocolate.

I love meeting the nice people and volunteers running their fundraising stalls.

Here is a list of these charities (I hope I haven’t missed any). Please visit their sites to find out more about their work.

• Bloodwise: Beating blood cancer
• British Heart Foundation: We fight for every heartbeat
• CLIMB: Children Living with Inherited Metabolic Diseases
• Cystic Fibrosis Trust: Fighting for a life unlimited
• Jubilee Sailing Trust: Changing lives. We take both able-bodied and disabled people to sea.
• Eastleigh Borough and Romsey Mencap Society: Protect and enhance the life chances of children and adults with learning disabilities
• Muscular Dystrophy UK: Fighting muscle-wasting conditions
• Myaware: Fighting Myasthenia together
• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People): Supporting people with sight loss
• RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution): Saving lives at sea
• The RSPB: (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds): Giving nature a home

I also like watching the efficient team, which manages the raffle. This year, there are 60 great prizes. Don’t believe me? Have a look at the list yourself.

The volunteers at The Coffee Room in Dovetail Centre were extremely busy. I didn’t get a chance to get a group picture with all of them as they were so busy making tea and coffee.

I took some pictures of each charity today, to show you their remarkable work.

The room was full of enthusiastic people, and each was doing their part to raise fund.

Finally, I’m sure you’re curious to find out if we won any raffle prizes.

I stayed till the end so was in charge of all raffle tickets that Allison, Emma and I had bought. Well, I got a set of lady’s stuff (moisturiser and some exotic thing like ‘lovely lashes for glossy natural volume’, and a pair of pink fluffy socks).

Allison sadly didn’t win David’s fish and chips. She’s won Saints Foundation Trust: 2 tickets to Saints VS Middlesbrough, Dec 11th 2016.

Allison is in a state of shock at the moment as she doesn’t know what to do with the tickets. Perhaps you could give her some suggestions.

It was quite strange as we kept winning football related prizes. Two years ago, I won St Mary’s Stadium Tour for 2 adults and didn’t know what to do with them either.

Thanks for the organisers for yet another brilliant Christmas Market for Chandler’s Ford.

Update (13th November 2016): An appreciation from Rachel Tonks

Today I received a lovely email from Rachel Tonks, whose mum Jennifer Maiden is one of the capable ladies who ran the Christmas Market without a hitch. Thanks Rachel for your input – we really appreciate all the hard work by the amazing team.

“Another year, another Joint Charities Christmas Market to kick off the Christmas season! Once again, Mum (Jennifer Maiden) and Caroline (Husain) have been beavering away since September getting prizes ready for the giant raffle, and once again, they had over 60 prizes for people to win.

Every year, their job becomes a little bit harder as companies become part of national groups and have to get sign off centrally – often ending up with lots of chasing up for them – but they do it with a smile as they know how important the raffle money is to each of the charities that attend the market.

This year I also saw the effort that goes into the physical set up of the room as Mum and Caroline were in the hall til late the night before, making sure tables were out, music systems set up, milk in the kitchen etc.

I’d never noticed these little things before, but they are vital to making sure things go smoothly (you couldn’t have a stall without a table, or a cup of tea without milk!)

It seemed nicely busy through the morning, so hopefully each charity will have made a good amount of money. And I even won a raffle prize – some fish and chips – lovely! (No nepotism I promise, all won fair and square!)”

Related posts:

• Heart-warming Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities 41st Christmas Market 2014
• Uplifting: Chandler’s Ford 42nd Joint Charities Christmas Market 2015
• Life aboard a Tall Ship: Jubilee Sailing Trust’s Ship Lord Nelson
• Atlantic Crossing With Jubilee Sailing Trust

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