People are invited to enjoy a Festive Fun Day in Southport Town centre this November

THIS special community event takes place at the Lord Street Bandstand between:- 1pm and 5pm, on:- Saturday, 18 November 2023.

It will be packed full of great entertainment from a variety of very talented local people and organisations.

It is being organised by Southport BID as a way of officially starting the Christmas season in style.

Visitors will be able to enjoy performances from local dance groups including:- Central Dance Studios, Express Performing Arts, DBA, Magic Movers, PQA Southport and Wright's Performing Arts.

There will be bitesize pantomimes from stars appearing in the Jack and The Beanstalk show at The Atkinson and The Pied Piper panto at Southport Little Theatre.

Children will love joining in with the Frozen Singalong Show from StarKidz.

Live music will be provided by Kyle Shaw, Sherie Hartill and Gabriel Amundsen, while the singing of traditional Christmas carols will be led by The Atkinson Wellbeing Choir, All Souls Choir and SONG.

There will be facepainting and the Queenscourt Hospice tombola on site. But watch out; those cheeky elves from StarKidz will be causing mischief within the crowd…

Visitors at the Festive Fun Day on:- 18 November 2023, will also be able to enjoy surrounding activities which include:- a Festive Craft Workshop, plus Christmas Arts and Crafts Market, at The Atkinson, on Lord Street.

There will be a Santa's Grotto, to be located at The Vincent Hotel, a Festive Fair inside Cambridge Walks, Christmas fun at The Entertainer, a BBQ at The Pavilion and more activities to be announced...

The Vincent Hotel will also be joined by Father Christmas to switch on their Christmas lights after the Festive Fun Day

Southport will have a very festive feel when the Fun Day takes place, with Southport BID really making the Town sparkle this Christmas.

The BID is investing in bringing the brand new The Bear and The Reindeer illuminations to Town.

The new character installations will sit either side of the sparkling 60 ft LED Christmas tree in Southport's Town Hall Gardens, which will be installed in the week before the Festive Fun Day.

The Bear stands at over 18 ft tall and the Reindeer stands at over 13 ft tall, making them perfect for taking pictures with family members.

The festive attractions will add to the stunning:- 'Boulevard of Light' in a scheme led by Southport BID which saw 300,000 lights installed along both sides of Lord Street in 2021, giving a huge boost to:- local shops, restaurants, bars, hotels and guest houses.

Southport is definitely the place to be this Christmas.

For more details about what's happening in Southport this Christmas please visit:- the Southport BID's website.

Barnardo's Shops Need Your Pre-Loved Items

BARNARDO'S is calling on supporters to hand in pre-loved items to their local Barnardo's store to raise vital funds to support children and families in need this winter. The leading children's charity is in particular need of good quality womenswear and menswear.

A Barnardo's spokesperson said:- "With Christmas not too far away, we know a lot of households will want to do a pre-festive clear-out, and that's where Barnardo's comes in! We would love to receive your pre-loved goods, especially all types of clothing. You can bring your items along to any of our stores, and our team will be extremely grateful to take them off your hands. Every donation made to our stores will help raise much needed funds to support our vital services this winter."

They added:- "Your donation to your local Barnardo's store will mean more than ever. The cost of living crisis is pushing more children and their families into poverty. This winter, frontline staff at Barnardo's will be helping children and their families by providing them with emergency support such as:- beds, access to food, and support with their mental wellbeing."

For more information on how to donate and to find your local store, please visit:- Barnardos.Org.UK .

Barnardo's also operates a scheme to help maximise the value of donations. For more information, please visit:- Barnardos.Org.UK/Gift-Aid.

The charity works with:- children, young people, parents, carers and communities, to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life. To donate, volunteer or fundraise, please visit:- Barnardos.Org.UK/Get-Involved.