Whitland Town Council are organising a superb Christmas lights switch-on ceremony on Saturday, November 30 this year.

The event and outdoor Christmas Market will take place from 4 to 7.30 pm.

It will of course include Santa in a beautifully decorated Grotto, greeting children and, if they have been good of course, giving them a small gift. The event starts with a magnificent festive tractor run through the town bigger and better than last year.

During the evening there will be the chance for people to vote in person on the best festively dressed business and the winner will be awarded a shield. Last year this was won by the Taf – who will it be this year?

Santa will arrive at 4 pm and will be in his Grotto waiting to see all the children, throughout the evening. At 4.15 pm a Festive Tractor Run will start from the Dairies Club and go all around the town with the tractors coming back and park near the Railway Station around 5 pm.

Then, at 5.30pm the Whitland Male Voice Choir will add to the festive spirit singing Christmas Carols before and after the switching on of the lights at 6 pm.

Throughout the evening there will be a chance to do some late shopping on the main street and Charity Shop in the Town Hall, as well as some Christmas Shopping in the many stalls of the outdoor Christmas Market.

The Library will also be open from 4 to 7 pm and there will be Children’s Story Time at 4.30 and 5.30 pm.

As per last year, a competition for the best house has decorated will also be underway. Voting for that competition will be done in the Whitland Town Council Facebook page and the winner will be announced just before Christmas. Everyone can get involved in lighting up the town.

The Town Council is also launching a best dressed house competition to run throughout December – contact the Clerk for more details at: [email protected].

Also, in case you did not realise, December 6, 2019, is National Elf Day, with people dressing up to raise money for fighting dementia. Whitland businesses will be taking part, so come along and unleash your inner Elf!

Do not forget that there is also late night opening of the shops on the main street in Whitland on this Friday, and other groups will be putting on special events. Whitland really is the place to be this festive period!

CHRISTMAS EVENTS FOR WHITLAND

Christmas Fayre - Friday, November 29 from 7 to 10 pm Whitland Junior Borderers RFC

Saturday, December 7 this year (as the first Saturday of December) is Small Business Saturday. This is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, which highlights small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities.

This year they are encouraging people to support their local community by making a pledge to spend £10 locally.

Please support our town, and all of its many businesses, and help our community grown and thrive together.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAYUK.COM

Small Business Saturday UK | Another year making a Big Difference!

Small Business Saturday UK is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, which highlights small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities.

Sunday, December 8 - Whitland Male Voice Choir - Carol Service at St Mary’s Church, Whitland.

Tuesday, December 10 - annual fundraiser for Memorial Hall. Excellent Bingo where a line wins a chicken and a house wins a turkey! With 2 Flyers and a Large Raffle.

Saturday, December 14 - Whitland Christmas Market with Produce and Crafts (9.30 am to 12.30 pm). Over 20 stalls with excellent produce and beautiful local and handmade crafts to choose from.

Saturday, December 14 - Whitland Male Voice Choir: Choir Talent Concert at Llanboidy Hall

?Tuesday, December 17 - Whitland Male Voice Choir: Annual Xmas evening at the Fishers, Whitland.

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF WHITLAND CLR. BARRY CHAPMAN

I am delighted to be able to send the compliments of the season to all in the town of Whitland and wider community that is served by Whitland Town Council. It is an honour to have been able to represent the council, and yourselves, at so many events throughout this year, when Whitland has been the Carmarthenshire Town of Culture.

The events that have been put on have been many and varied: from the Whitland Male Voice Choir concerts to the Bowling Club opening of the green: from fashion shows to formal prize givings for the school and the gardening club; from attendance at the civic ceremonies in Carmarthen and Ammanford to a book launch in Tabernacl by a local author. Of course, there was also Whitland Week, the annual celebration that brings the town together with a wide range of different events put on, culminating in the Carnival Queen crowning and parade, and a full day of events in Parc Dr. Owen, where I attended as many events as I could - and thoroughly enjoyed myself!

I would also like to make special mention of the stunning ‘Glimpses of Whitland’s Past’ that was held in Whitland Memorial Hall as part of the Town of Culture events. This brought together items from many people’s own personal collections, and gave a fascinating glimpse into the past history of Whitland.

It had a displays about Whitland Abbey, the Railway and the Dairy site, lists and photographs of the different businesses and their owners over the decades, an almost complete collection of the Whitland Week brochures, tools that were in common agricultural use by local people, as well as many photographs from different groups and organisations that had people going back several times to be able to browse through them at leisure.  There was even a superb collection of ties that were produced for local businesses! It made me realise just how key Whitland has been to the area over the years.

Thanks to the generosity of the visitors to the exhibition held to mark the end of the WWI Centenary Commemorations, and with an additional donation from the Ex-Servicemen’s Association, Whitland Town Council were also able to purchase the War Horse bench for the town which is placed at the end of Pont Pipriac Bridge, which will be a lasting memorial to all who fought in the Great War.

Your council works hard to make Whitland better, and on their behalf I would like to express my appreciation for the many different bodies and individuals who have worked in partnership with us. Without them we would not be able to accomplish even half of what we do.

I would also like to express my thanks for those of you who are working through this Christmas period, when most of us have days off - without our fire, ambulance, medical and other essential personnel, and also the vitally important carers in our community, many people would suffer. Thank you for doing your work.

Finally, may I wish all of you a happy, healthy and enjoyable Christmas and New Year period. I look forward to meeting many of you (again) in 2020. Thank you.