Thanks given to villagers who kept Christmas alive in pandemic

A parish council has expressed its thanks to members of its community who brought the spirit of Christmas to life in its village. 

Cawston Parish Council recently held its first meeting of the year, via Zoom, where its members unanimously agreed to express thanks to the many people in the village who "have and continue to serve us so well through the current difficulties”. 

Stephanie Spencer, a councillor, shared the message on behalf of the council via the village's Facebook group.

She said: “Our Cawston Christmas was very different [this year].  

"Much goodwill has been expressed by so many people going above and beyond to make life more tolerable. 

"Thank you, Mark and Tanya Daniels, for their Father Christmas event, which the children thoroughly enjoyed and brought us the spirit of Christmas.

“Also, thanks to Phil Daniels and his daughter Sam for the artwork by adding Father Christmas to their rainbow, to Tula Chenery for the Nativity scene at the church, and the Village Hall Committee for the Christmas tree.” 

On December 19, Mr and Mrs Daniels, along with their children and a family friend, visited 96 children in Cawston, based between Aylsham and Reepham, and handed out gifts they purchased themselves and with money from an anonymous donor. 

The couple transformed the back of their truck into Santa’s Grotto and residents lined the streets, socially distanced, to enjoy the festive cheer. They also handed mince pies out and the Cawston brass band performed a song. 

Elsewhere in the village, artists Phil Daniels and daughter Sam Stark made additions to their popular rainbow art feature, while Ms Chenery brightened up the front of the village’s parish church, St Agnes, with a hand-painted Nativity scene.