Tree-mendous effort as church in Wainfleet hosts festival

Carole Harbon decorating the Christmas tree donated by Bell's of Bennington for the Wainfleet Methodist Church Christmas Tree Festival and the Christmas Community Feast.

Many festive events in the area were forced to cancel but thankfully this one was indoors.

The festival took place on Saturday and Sunday in the Methodist Church Hall - and will be repeated next weekend to coincide with the rescheduled Christmas market.

Fifteen organisations from around the town had trimmed a tree for visitors to enjoy, including Wainfleet Parish Council, Magdalen Library, Christian After-school Group, Wainfleet Firefighters, Lincolnshire Police, Girls' Friendly Society, Wainfleet branch of the Royal British Legion, the Phoenix Group, All Saints Church and four year groups from Wainfleet Primary School.

Brian Harbon decorating the Royal British Legion tree.

The tree donated by Bell's Gardening Outlet for the Big Christmas Feast on December 15, which is sponsored by the Skegness Standard, was also on display.

Sue Alldread, of Wainfleet Methodist Church, said the event was well supported considering the weather.

She said: "People stayed to watch our videos and listen to the festive music and everyone said it was lovely.

"We ended up with a full church on Sunday for the carol service and walked to the market square and sang carols around the Christmas tree there.

Susan Alldread of Wainfleet decorating a children's tree.

"Some members of the school choir came and joined us, which was lovely."

A few miles away in Spilsby, the 2nd Spilsby Scout Group hosted an indoor Christmas Fayre at their West End Scout Hut, offering stalls to traders who were to have been at the town's cancelled Christmas market and lights switch-on.

Santa paid a visit, also calling in at the New Life Centre which was providing hot drinks for people who went along to play games and sing carols and the Christian Fellowship on Halton Road.

*Wainfleet St Mary's Christmas Lights Switch-on and Santa's Grotto, will now be held on Saturday, December 4, along with the Bateman's Brewery Rosey Nosey Fun Run in aid of the Firefighters Charity. Start times for the runs are 1.40pm for the 5km and 1.50pm for the 1k.

To find out more about the free community feast, visit Come dine with us at FREE Big Christmas Feasts in Wainfleet and Skegness here .