Hundreds gather for Gorleston Christmas celebration

2018: More than 350 people of all ages gathered on Magdalen Square in Gorleston just before Christmas for the inaugural ‘Christmas on the Mag’ event.

 
The celebration, on Saturday December 22, was hosted by St Mary Magdalene Church and attracted large crowds who came together to enjoy the activities.  There were large queues to have a photograph taken in the giant snow globe, below, the Christmas crafts were popular, and the floodlit football cage was busy all afternoon.
 
 
At 4pm, as darkness fell, the community gathered around the flood-lit stage to sing the Mag’s top five carols, as decided by a poll conducted in the run up to the event.  The carol singing was led by the choirs of Peterhouse Church of England Primary Academy and Ormiston Herman Academy, and accompanied by an ensemble from Great Yarmouth Brass. The favourite carol was revealed as Silent Night.  The Peterhouse and Herman choirs also performed two pieces, performing together as a combined choir for the first time for many years.
 
 
Rev Matthew Price, minister of St Mary Magdalene Church, who led the organising team for Christmas on the Mag, said, “It was wonderful to see the everybody come together in the run up to Christmas.  We wanted to provide a fun, community-centred event for all ages and stages and as I looked out from the stage during the carol singing it was brilliant to see all sections of our community represented.  We’re now beginning to think about ‘what next?’”
 
 
Local resident, Patsy Buzec, writing on Facebook after the event, said, “[It] was a magical couple of hours and so nice to spend some time with family and friends at this wonderful Christmas gathering. Well done to all involved.”
 
 
Rev Price also expressed his thanks to the large team of volunteers who came together from the local community, the two primary schools, East Coast College, MESH and the two churches on the estate to make the event possible.  He said, “an event like this takes a lot of work from a lot of people to make it happen and it was another sign of our community coming together that so many were willing to get involved and help out.  We also received support from a number of local businesses for which we were grateful.”
 
Visit: https://www.facebook.com/MagdaleneChurchGorleston/
 
To read our previous story about the event, click here.

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