PREPARATIONS are being made for the Christchurch Christmas Festival – with a new team at the helm.

This year’s festive event takes place on Saturday, November 29, with a Christmas market in the High Street from 10am until 7pm.

There will be a variety of food, drink and Christmas gifts on sale as well as a programme of music and entertainment throughout the day in Saxon Square and other locations in the town.

Santa and his reindeer will fly into Peeks Partystore car park in Reid Street at 4pm and will process down Bargates to arrive in the High Street at 4.30pm.

He will then take his reindeer down to the Priory Church where the reindeer can be petted and children can hand in their Christmas wish letters.

The Christmas lights switch-on will take place in the High Street at the later time of 6pm. A photography competition for the borough’s three secondary schools will take place, with prizes awarded for the best images of the Christmas Festival.

This year major changes have been made to the organisation and funding of the event due to cuts in council funding.

Kim Skinner, pictured left, chairman of the Christmas Festival Committee said: “In order to preserve this fantastic event for the future, a Community Interest Company (CIC) has been formed and a team of volunteers have picked up the reigns to ensure continuity.”

Mr Skinner, who also leads the organisation for the Mudeford RNLI funday, added: “We are very grateful to Christchurch council which has assisted with a one-off transition fund for this year.

“However in order to guarantee the future the festival needs to become self-funding through sponsorship, advertising and other methods.”

VIP entertaining in the Mayor’s Parlour is available this year. Any companies wishing to sponsor the events should contact Kim at kim.skinner@ntlworld.com For more information go to the website ‘christchurch.christmas’, or on Facebook at ‘christchurch christmasfestival’.