Community comes together to defy Storm Darragh and bring Christmas spirit to Bishop’s Stortford

Storm Darragh could not dampen Bishop’s Stortford’s Christmas spirit on Saturday.

Winds howled and rain lashed the town, but the community came together at a series of festive events.

At Jackson Square, manager Michael Smith and his team offered a safe haven to 15 stallholders left high and dry when the annual outdoor Christmas Fayre was cancelled.

The town council decided it was not safe to proceed with the event after a yellow weather warning from the Met Office.

The fayre usually attracts thousands of visitors to around 100 stalls, spread across North Street, Market Square, Potter Street and South Street. The council pays for a traffic order to pedestrianise the area and organises entertainment.

Mr Smith said: “We’ve always said we are committed to the local community and Bishop’s Stortford, and this past weekend has shown just that.

“In under 24 hours, we were swiftly able to accommodate 15 stall holders from the cancelled Christmas Fayre.

“This quick response not only salvaged a beloved town event but also provided a vital platform for local businesses during a crucial trading period.

“In the true spirit of Christmas, we also managed to raise £590 for Marie Curie and Isabel Hospice, asking those stallholders to donate what they would have been charged for the pitch at the fayre.

“The event proved to be a resounding success, with footfall reaching an impressive 14,319 visitors throughout the day. Remarkably, this turnout was only 258 people shy of last year’s full town event.”

Hayley Harris, Jackson Square’s community manager added: “It was such a wholesome day seeing the community come out to support and engage with the event.

“Two stalls sold out of merchandise, one as early as 1pm and another by 2pm. Many others reported record-breaking sales for the day.

“This success extended to our permanent tenants as well, with numerous stores reporting significant increases in both footfall and sales.

“We’re grateful for the overwhelming support from our community and look forward to continuing to serve as a hub for local events in the future, including our Christmas Community Countdown event, taking place every day throughout December.”

Isabel Hospice was one of the organisations which found a temporary home in the precinct. The charity’s Santa’s Grotto, set up in the Intercounty office in North Street, also operated as usual.

Ambassador Renée Friend told the Indie: “The total sum of £935 was raised which could fund over 24 hours of vital nursing care at our in-patient unit.

“All our care and support to our patients and their families is free, so we do rely on, and appreciate the support of all of our local communities to enable us to continue to provide this vital care and support both locally in our town and throughout East Hertfordshire.

At St Michael’s Church in Windhill, the congregation organised tours of the tower and a traditional holly fair.

Val Ashwood, chair of the charities support group, estimated there were around 300 visitors who helped raise over £3,000.

She said: “Those who braved the weather commented on the warm, welcoming atmosphere inside.

“Volunteers had made holly rings, table decorations, craft items, hyacinth bulb bowls and cakes to sell.

“Hot refreshments including bacon and sausage rolls went down well as did festive mulled wine and mince pies.”

There were also raffles, tombolas, stalls, children’s games, a craft table and carol singing by members of the church choir.

Val said: “We raised over £3,000 and all the money goes to around 30 charities annually. Local charities include Holy Trinity Night Shelter and Community Outreach, YMCA, Street Pastors, Bishop’s Stortford Child Contact Centre, CHIPS, Grove Cottage, Red Kite, Retune, Company at Christmas, Holiday Bible Week, Care4Calais and Bishop’s Stortford Youth Project, which includes Thirst Café.

“The tower was open too and some 30 visitors ascended the stone stairs to see the newly-restored bells.

“Several hardy people also braved the wet and windy conditions and went all the way up to the roof, 30 metres above ground level!

“There were also demonstrations of bellringing and supervised one-to-one training for inquisitive visitors who wanted to have a go.”

Over the next two weeks, the church will welcome 15 schools to take part in services including Nine Lessons and Carols on December 22, a children’s crib service and later choral midnight service on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day celebratory worship, and kids space with a nativity scene festival until January 5.

At the Community Church at the Charis Centre in Water Lane, children enjoyed free Crafty Christmas sessions with a nativity theme.

Susan Ash, children’s and families ministry leader, said: “Our aim each year is to bring a bit of joy into what can be a stressful time of year for families and to share the love of God, who became Immanuel, for them.

“We had a lot fewer people this year with only around 350, compared to 500-600 in a normal year.

“This will have been a combination of the weather and the cancelling of the Christmas Fayre. This was still a wonderful turnout given how miserable the weather was and we were so glad to host these families and share God’s love with them.”

The church provided miniature railway rides, crafts for all ages, play zones for babies and toddlers and a special chill-out room, especially for youngsters with additional needs.

Refreshments were also provided and each child received a handmade hot chocolate gift bag and an invitation to the Messy Nativity Service on Sunday, December 22, from 10.30am.

Susan said: “We absolutely love running this event for the families in the town.”

Bishop’s Stortford Methodist Church in South Street also stepped up to offer space to stallholders at its Christmas event but only one pitched up.

Gill Hulme, the Methodist Minister for Bishop’s Stortford and Stansted Free Church, said: “The footfall during the morning was slightly lower than our normal charity coffee mornings.

“There didn’t seem to be many people braving the weather but it picked up a little over the lunchtime period.

“All our homemade cakes jams and marmalades sold out, with a steady run on coffees and hot chocolate!

“Father Christmas said hello to quite a few children and the teddy tombola with a prize every time was a winner.

“Our craft stalls did sadly have plenty of stock left by the time we closed at 2pm, but Jordan, our Girls Brigade leader, has just branched out into her own business and took some orders for bespoke sweatshirts at the bargain price of £20.

“We were glad we stayed open for the extra time - we are normally open 10am to noon each Saturday - as it gave people somewhere to get out of the rain and wind.

“People did brave the weather again that evening for a great Christmas concert by the Bishops Stortford Band.”

Proceeds from that event will support Holy Trinity Night Shelter and Community Outreach.

At Bishop’s Stortford Bowling Club, Bowling Lane, the Christmas bazaar raised a record £1,221.

Neal Harrington said: “Raffles, a tombola, guess the weight of the cake, name the bears and craft, plant and gift stalls all contributed to the festive event’s success.”