Diocesan News
Ballyholme Village gets its Christmas wish
For the first time, a community Christmas tree has gone up in Ballyholme Village with the help of a group brought together by the Revd Jan Stevenson.
Jan explains: “In my role as Community Pastor for Ballyholme Parish, I’ve been visiting the businesses in the village offering support during these really difficult times. In the course of my conversations, I discovered a longstanding community hope that a Christmas tree could be put up in ‘The Village’.
“I began to pull a group together but putting up a community tree turned out to be a complicated matter, that is until we spoke to the local hairdressing salon owner! Michael Conroy also wanted a tree to go up and because he owns the land outside his shop we were able to make it happen.”
On a very blowy 4 December, the tree lights were switched on by two families – the Brittains and the Skellys – who were chosen by the local primary school. The ceremony was unannounced so as not to attract a crowd, however an invited group of local church, school and business–people all came along despite the poor weather. The RNLI, for whom the village is raising funds, was represented by Kevin Byers and Mark Johnston.
Ballyholme Primary and the local pre–schools have decorated the tree with laminated drawings of baubles and teddy bears, some of which are also hanging in the windows of businesses in the village.
Not only has Ballyholme Village finally got its tree but the small community group has also launched a Christmas at Holme Facebook page to keep everyone up to date with festive events, news and fundraising in the village.
Congratulations to the organising committee, Mel Martin, Caroline Gillan, the Revd Jan Stevenson, Louise Scott Heatley and Michael and Tracey Conroy
More photos from the switch–on are available here
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Communications Officer, Down & Dromore
07840 006899
Mrs Annette McGrath
[email protected]