Youngsters were able to meet Santa and his reindeer at the Hatfield Peverel Christmas in the Park event, thanks to a £1,000 gift from housebuilder Bellway.
The company made the donation to help pay for Santa’s Grotto, which is an important part of the Essex village’s annual festival.
Jenny Walker, Sales Director for Bellway Essex, said: “As we are building at our Hatfield Grove and Priory Grange developments in the village, we wanted to find a way to give something back to the community this festive season.
“And what could be better than inviting Santa and his reindeer to be there for the afternoon and providing some presents for the children who visited the grotto. It was magical to see them so excited about meeting Father Christmas and the reindeer.
“Christmas in the Park is hugely popular locally and once again it attracted a big crowd and gave people an opportunity to get together with their neighbours to enjoy a wonderfully happy occasion.”
As many as 1,000 people attended the festive event at Hatfield Peverel Village Hall on Sunday 10 December, which featured the lighting of the Christmas tree, crafts for children, a close-up magician, face painting, rides, craft stalls and food stalls.
The festivities started at 1 pm with some Christmas songs from the St Andrew’s Junior School and Hatfield Peverel Infant School choirs.
Carly Truman, Assistant Clerk of Hatfield Peverel Parish Council, said: “Hatfield Peverel Parish Council was excited to host Christmas in the Park, an afternoon of festive fun at the Village Hall.
“We are very grateful for the support from Bellway – their contribution towards our event helped us create a joyful and festive experience for everyone attending.”
The event is one of the biggest on the calendar for the village and has been running since 2022.
Bellway, which is building 195 new homes at Hatfield Grove and 140 new homes at Priory Grange, supported Christmas in the Park last year when it sponsored the reindeer at the event.
To find out more about Hatfield Grove, visit www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/essex/hatfield-grove.
To find out more about Priory Grange, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/essex/priory-grange
