Ash Parish Council

The 2007 Christmas Fantasia organised by the Members and Officers of Ash Parish Council took place on Saturday 1 December 2007. The Fair was officially opened by Councillor Nigel Manning, Chairman of the Parish Council and was supported by many local charities and organisations.

Over 600 people enjoyed a variety of stalls and attractions including children’s games, craft tables and fun fair rides. Ash & District Museum Society had a special display of old photographs of Ash in bygone days, this proved to be very popular.

The Members and Officers of the Parish Council ran a tombola and cake stall, which raised over £400 for local charities. A huge thank you to all the residents, local businesses and organisations who kindly donated all the prizes and cakes.

As sunset fell, a large crowd gathered at Ash Wharf, where the Salvation Army Band and the choir of St. Peter’s Church led the carol singing around the Christmas tree.

At 5.00pm Father Christmas arrived to switch on the tree lights. He was accompanied by popular cartoon characters Cruella de Ville, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Bugs Bunny, the Snowman, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. They helped Father Christmas hand out sweets to all the children who had come to see him, before everyone returned to the Ash Centre for mince pies and mulled wine, kindly supplied by Mike Duffy from Budgens.

Yet again the Ash Christmas Fantasia was an enormous success and the Members and Officers would like to say a special thank you to Party Pants for generously supplying all the fancy dress costumes free of charge, Disco Sales of Farnborough for organising the public address system and Vale Furnishers for supplying the machinery, which enabled the lights to be put on the Christmas tree.