St Michaels Church Lyneham with St Mary’s Church Bradenstoke, Championing a Yuletide Spirit

An incredible £900 was raised at the Annual Christmas Fayre of St Michael and All Angel’s Church Lyneham with St Mary’s Bradenstoke on Saturday 3rd December 2005.

Exultant Santa Claus greeted the hundreds of festive visitors and passers by, Gluwein (Mulled wine) and Christmas ‘Bratties’ (Bratwurts) were being served to warm up the visitors and a chorus of festive music, echoed around the watery winter skies of Lyneham, what more can you ask for, as parishioners flocked through the doors to see what was on offer.

Meg Bundock, one of the Christmas Fayre organisers said “The Christmas Fayre was simply fantastic already earmarked as ‘one of the best ever’. The church hall was brimming over with buyers!"

"This was truly a magical time for everyone involved, be it visiting or running a stall. Such fun and joy has rarely been more evident. Festive fun for all the family!"

This year’s yuletide event was arranged to coincide with the switching on of the Lyneham Church Christmas Tree lights. The large 15 feet conifer tree kindly donated by Maslin’s Funeral Directors in Wootton Bassett was decorated throughout the afternoon by visitors to the fayre.

Owner of Maslins, Maria Ubhie-Webb, said: "We've got all the decorations ready to go, including flashing lights and we are pleased that the Lyneham & Bradenstoke Parish Council has kindly made a significant donation to support the electricity costs.”

The Lyneham community is sincerely grateful to Maslin’s for kindly donating and funding the village Christmas tree and lights and in conjunction with church members for making the village sparkle this year. Maria was selling the “In loving Memory” cards to hang on the tree with tinsel ribbons. What a wonderful gesture.

At the end of the Bazaar all the children who had stayed behind for the Carol Singing entered a draw to choose our VIP to “switch on the lights” of the Christmas Tree. Why does one never have a camera on these occasions? Charlotte Barltrop won and her face was a picture. Everyone gathered round for Carol singing led by Rev Anthony Fletcher.

“What was particularly nice was that a lot of people who have left the village came back on Saturday to have a good time." Those present will be laughing for days at the sight of Meg Bundock going round the hall doing her Peter Kay impersonation of “Show me the way to Amarillo”.

What a perfect end to a perfect afternoon! Christmas Fetes of the past have gone. Yesterday was the beginning of a new era! The Spirit of Christmas was all around us in the smiles, laughter and hilarity of the present day.

From craft stalls to cakes, there was something for everyone, hats off and a big thank you must be past to Neil & Angela Tuckley, Meg Bundock and Babs Taylor for organising a truly memorable occasion, which brought such joy to the whole village and encapsulated what the festive season is all about.

Lyneham Church hall was packed with colourful stalls containing products from some of the best food, drink producers and craftspeople in the village, together with some of the other festive traders from around the local community, including the Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce, Carol Kibble from New Zealand, not the southern hemisphere but our neighbouring village.

Everyone was in for a feast of fine foods and gifts. From handmade jewellery and Christmas cards to cakes and decorations, the quality and range of goods on offer was marvelous. As you entered onto the Church hall, the cheerful and radiant Christmas helpers Meg Bundock and Babs Taylor, were selling entrance raffle tickets for a large Christmas Cake.

The Christmas Cake “on the door” raffle was kindly donated by Warrant Officer Pete Hudson from the Wessex Restaurant Royal Air Force Lyneham and was won by Ellie Johnstone of Bradenstoke.

RAF Lyneham’s own and the forces first unique radio station ‘Lyneham Radio’
was broadcasting all the winter yuletide favourites. RAF Corporals Glen Norman and Simon Lonsdale of Lyneham Radio were possibly the best double act after Ant and Dec. They were hilarious and brought so much festive fun into the event with their requests, trivia questions and general excellent broadcasting skills.

The Christmas Quiz was won by Darren Lewis from Lyneham, who received £5 for all his correct answers. Well done.

Special thanks must be passed onto the following:

• Bowood for a fantastic first prize donation of two rounds of Golf.
• Angie, Sarah, and Sian for running the raffle and Lesley for all the donations
• Jenny Barter and Jenny Rowlands for the best Tombola ever seen in St Michaels. Over 170 prizes and every ticket a winner. Wow!
• Jane, Ruth and Kay who must have spent hours making the lovely Christmas decorations
• Val and Hester, who really did turn water to wine
• Tammy and Michelle, Charlotte and Chantelle for the Quiz, Lucky Dip etc
• The Evans Family of Tony, Nikki and Sarah on the Gluwein, Treasure Hunt and Church Pictures.
• Anne and Linda who had made up fabulous jams and chutneys. “Cant wait to try out the Apple Date and Walnut Chutney”.
• Mac on the Bratwurst for keeping us well fed all afternoon; the curry sauces were very tasty too.
• Pam Garrett and Cindy Bent for running the cake stall. No event is ever successful without a cake stall. Yummy, Yummy!.
• Kitchen Canteen; Lesley, Donna, Pat and Muriel were non-stop pouring teas and coffees.
• As always the Tuckley Family came up trumps. Thank you Adam for decorating the Hall with a little help from mum and Babs.
• Zoe for coming along as an outside stall with her Usbourne Books.
• Angie for running the Children’s Tombola. – another great success of the day.
• Miracles don’t only happen on 34th Street. Santa Claus walked his Christmas Stockings off, meeting and greeting the children and handing out goody bags.

Christmas Fetes of the past have gone. Saturday was the beginning of a new era! The Spirit of Christmas was all around us in the smiles, laughter and hilarity of the present day.

Thank you to everyone who donated prizes etc. and to those who helped in front and behind the scenes – and special thanks to the villagers for coming along supporting St Michael;s Church Lyneham with St Mary’s Church, Bradenstoke Christmas Bazaar.

The biggest compliment to the committee, received from a young mother visiting "it was just like a Christmas Carnival atmosphere with hundreds of people milling around the church hall, smiling faces, many singing to Christmas tunes and picking up many bargains from all the colourful stalls. This championing community spirit is becoming more evident nowadays. People are thinking and doing what is good for the future of the village.

Rev Tony Fletcher, vicar to the St Michael’s Church, summed up a truly successful day: “The generosity of this village never ceases to amaze me. I am proud to say that the true Spirit of Christmas is alive in our Parish.”