Freehold Community Group Christmas Party

Face painting at Freehold Community Group Christmas Party

Freehold Community Group held their annual Christmas party this afternoon (Saturday 21 December) and invited members of the local community into Castlemere Banqueting Hall to start their Christmas celebrations.

Holly Stevenson who helped to organise the party said: “It is just a good way of inviting people to come and have a good time before Christmas.”

The party included an entertainer for the children in attendance, a toy sale, Father Christmas, face painting and refreshments.

Holly added: “The event is free because we understand that people sometimes struggle at this time of year.”

The Freehold Community Group Christmas Party has been held successfully for thirteen years.

Mohammed Azar, who helped to start the Freehold Community Group thirteen years ago, believes that these kinds of events are important for community cohesion. He said: “It brings everyone together and shows the community coming together.”

The party took a couple of weeks to organise and was put together with many of the people involved giving their time for free.

“We have eight volunteers helping us and everything else is being done for free,” said Holly.

The Christmas party was one of the first events that the community group decided to hold. Mohammed added: “This was our first event
and it is still going now which is really good. We always get a good turn out.”

Freehold Community Group started in 2000 and offers activities and classes for the residents of Freehold. The group also runs community shop selling donated furniture and household goods.

“Freehold has had a bad reputation in the past but I think by catching the young people at a young age, we can change that and we are seeing that change,” said Mohammed.