CHARITIES who have lost out on funding this year are hoping that shoppers will safely flock to a Christmas market taking place on Sunday.
Organisers of the Wokingham Winter Carnival had to cancel the annual event as a result of the coronavirus pandemic – it attracts thousands of people every year who pack some of the narrow, historic streets.
Had it gone ahead, it would have been at risk of being a superspreader event.
But the carnival, like the May Fayre, is a major fundraising date for charities from across the borough and the team decided that they wanted to organise something that would be safe to attend, while also helping replenish emptied coffers.
The result is taking place in Market Place and Peach Place on Sunday: just over 20 charities will have stalls that have been spaced out to ensure people can maintain social distancing.
Other measures to protect people include asking stallholders to use contactless payment methods, and banning activities such as tombolas that would see multiple people handle the same surface.
The event will run from 10am to 4pm.
Stallholders will include WADE, which will offer homemade preserves and planters with seasonal plants and spring bulbs underneath, and Wokingham Horticultural Association, which will have some festive masks for sale.
Calendars and diaries will be on offer from the Cats Protection League stall, and the Emmbrook School PTA will sell handmade Christmas decorations.
There will also be stalls from Churches Together Wokingham, Promise Inclusion, the Rotary Club of Easthampstead and Floreat Montague Park PTA, among others.
Philip Mirfin, chairman of the Wokingham Winter Carnival committee, said: “A lot of thought has gone into this over the last few months. We’ve been working with the town council and using Peach Place as well as Market Place.
“There will be Covid marshals on duty, hopefully, people will be responsible, and wear masks.”
The emphasis is on helping charities: “They’ve not had many fundraising opportunities this year,” Mr Mirfin explained.
“I know from personal experience that there’s a need for funds, I just hope Sunday succeeds and gives these charities a financial boost. It’s also important that they have a presence to the public, giving them a chance to talk about their work.
“As this is to try and benefit charities, we’ve had to apologise to commercial stallholders who wanted to come.”
He promised a good mixture of stalls, and said he was looking forward to seeing the crocheted covers that the Barkham Hookers had made for chocolate oranges, which will be available on the WADE store.
Unlike the Winter Carnival, there will be no road closures. Stalls will be able to set up from 8.30am, the public can enjoy the event from 10am to 4pm, and the event will be closed by 5pm.
And with vaccines now being approved for use, there is every hope that the Winter Carnival will be back in 2021.
“It will be on the last Sunday in November next year, god wiling,” Mr Mirfin said. “We will start planning in February. We’ve held some very good (committee) meetings over Zoom during the summer.”
