Date published: 2023-07-21 | Category: Leisure, Tourism and Heritage, Heritage , Events, Communities and volunteering, Delivering for local residents
Two local charities have been helped thanks to a generous Bath Christmas Market stallholder who donated £2,000 of his profits to good causes.
DSC Events Catering Limited, which has been a staple at the Christmas Market for years, kindly donated £1,000 each to Bath-based Challenge Africa and Bath Child Contact Centre.
Representatives from both charities met the Chair of Bath & North East Somerset Council, Councillor Sarah Moore, after they were picked to receive the money by her predecessor Councillor Shaun Stephenson McGall earlier this year.
All the local charities that featured in the 2022 Christmas Market were entered into a draw and were picked at random.
Challenge Africa aims to support African communities in becoming self-sufficient. It has used the money to fund the work it does to combat disease outbreak. One of the areas they operate in has recently suffered a severe cholera outbreak and the money has funded a kitchen with clean water to the local school to reduce the chance of children contracting this deadly disease.
Eleanore Dickson, from Challenge Africa, said: “We were delighted to receive this generous donation from DSC Catering – it is fitting that it has gone to directly fund a kitchen with clean water, something we all can take for granted.”
Bath Child Contact Centre, based in Walcot Street, provides supported contact for separated families, and has updated its resources including toys they have for children to play with.
Ruth Whitemore, from Bath Child Contact Centre, said: “It was great to meet the chair of the council to explain the work we do as a local charity. This money has already made a big difference to us and to the children and families we support.”
This year, Bath Christmas Market is working with Hallmark Care Homes to bring back one of two charity chalets that are available for sponsorship. The partnership means even more charities will have the opportunity to showcase what they do with more than 35 charities expected to use the two chalets, situated in Milsom Street and outside the Guildhall during the Christmas Market.
Councillor Sarah Moore, Chair of Bath & North East Somerset Council, added: “We have so many great people in our community doing some amazing charity work and so I was pleased to meet Ruth and Eleanore to help champion both causes but the big thanks has to go to DSC Events Catering Limited for such an amazing donation. I’m looking forward to visiting the two charity chalets this year.”
Dates for this year’s famous Bath Christmas Market were announced in March alongside official visitor figures for the 2022 event - which boosted the local economy by an estimated £50 million. Bath Christmas Market will open this year on Thursday November 23 and run for 18 days closing on Sunday December 10.
Ends