Source: Penarth Times
THE tenth annual Penarth Christmas Tree Festival proved a resounding success last weekend (December 11 and 12) - with 45 festive entries, several hundred visitors and more than £2,000 raised for charity.The festival - held at St. Augustine’s Church - began with breakfast with Santa in the Parish Hall, Albert Road, before the town crier, Dave Horgan, led more than100 children and their families behind the Piper, the Town Mayor and Santa, for the short procession through Belle Vue Park to St Augustine’s steps where the Mayor, Councillor Paul Church, cut the tape and declared the Festival open.
Among the winners of the festival were Headlands School in the children’s class, Foxy’s Deli in the Business Class, and Olwen Dyer in the Family and Individual Class.
But the judges' overall award for best Christmas Tree went to Odds and Bodkins, for their “Dont ditch it, stitch it” themed tree - with all decorations sowed and knitted together from recycled materials. And the overall public vote championed Evenlode Primary for their bright and colourful brazilian themed effort - making it a triple success for the school, who have taken the prize for the last three years in a row.
Fiona Gracia-Thomas is the art co-ordinator at the school.
“Evenlode is linked with a school in Brazil, so we thought it would be a nice touch to theme the tree after that,’ she said.
“A number of classes have also been studying the rainforest so we made that the central feature of the tree, with a blue sash representing the Amazon river.
“We have won it for three years in a row now so it’s a triple success for us in a fanatastic competition which encapsulates the true meaning of xmas - particularly with it being held at the church.
“The children love it.”
The festival organisers were also delighted with the creativity on display.
“The trees showed an amazing variety of decoration and gave the independent judges a near impossible task to declare winners in the different categories,” said Liz Morgan, director of the event.
“Visitors to the trees raised some £2,000 for the nominated charities - the success of the festival owes so much both to them and to those who took part by preparing and decorating a tree, and also to the army of volunteers looking after every detail from the electrics to the dismantling of the show until next year when this ever popular event comes round again.
“Thanks also to the various local groups who played some fine seasonal music and sang for the spectators, and to those who served the several hundred visitors some good home-made food down at the hall.”
Full list of winners:
Family and Individual Class
* 1. Olwen Dyer
* 2. Alan and Gloria Gill
* 3. Mrs Hoare and Mrs Preece
Children’s Class:
* 1. Headlands School
* 2. Evenlode School
* 3. St Joseph’s School
Business Class:
* 1. Foxy’s Deli
* 2. Penarth Police
* 3. Kate Dumbleton and Anthony Slaughter
Organisation / Group Class:
* 1. Odds and Bodkins
* 2. Windsor Lawn Tennis Club
* 3. The Soroptimists
Judges’ Overall winner:
* Odds and Bodkins
Overall winner by public vote:
* Evenlode Primary School