Mayor of Bolton’s Christmas fair success for charities

The Christmas fair has been running for more than 20 years, and sees the current mayor host dozens of charities.

The charities are given a stall each for free, with the only requirements being that they must be a charity, community group or community interest company in Bolton.

This year, Mayor of Bolton Councillor David Chadwick held the fair on Saturday (December 6) at Albert Halls in the town centre.

The fair is always held on the first Saturday of December.

The day saw visits from the Grinch, Lofty the Lion, and Bolton Lions Club’s mascot.

It was held from 10am until 2pm and also included some entertainment, including Bolton Deaf Society’s Handmade British Sign Language Choir.

A description of the fair said: “This annual traditional event hosted by the Mayor of Bolton will see over 30 stalls.

“This event is a time for the Mayor to give back to the community by allowing Bolton charities and community groups a free stall at the event, and all money collected by each stall goes back to their charities and community groups.

“There will be music and entertainment, and food and drinks will be served.

“This event has been running for many years and always proves popular.”

A refreshment selection was available, including mulled wine, biscuits, juices and more.

Some of the stalls included Bolton in The Community, Fortalice, Westhoughton Assist Service, and Bolton Adult Autism Support, among others.

It was also attended by Bolton Community Kitchen, which provides a service to the homeless community, where they can have a meal inside, while being waited on by volunteers.

Baby Basics Bolton and Bury, which provides Moses basket starter packs to vulnerable women and families with a Bolton or Bury postcode who are having, or have had, a newborn baby, also held a stall at the event.

The event was bustling throughout the day, with many stalls eventually running low on stock of things to sell or include in raffles and tombolas.

A small entry fee was set at 50p per adult and free for children this year, and this money is used by the Mayor’s office to be put back into efforts to support the community.