Once again, Aldeburgh Businesses, organisations and charities have generously donated money to decorate Aldeburgh High Street for the festive season. The two huge trees, their lights, lights on the High Street lampposts and lights at the roundabout are organized by the ABA which has to find £6,500 every year to pay for it all. This year further lights will be strung around the lampposts, bringing the bill up to a whopping £10,000, all of which is money donated by local stores, hotels, pubs, cafes, organisations, charities and the town and county council.
Sally Ogden, ABA Chair said:
“It’s a lot of money for us to raise so I would like to wholeheartedly thank everyone that has made a contribution. Every year local businesses, councils and charities dig deep to fund the cost of storing the large display lights, repairs, putting them up and taking them down, buying and erecting two huge Christmas trees and their lighting; this year we have gone a step further and bought lighting ‘wraps’ for the lampposts. We felt that the huge community effort being made to create the Aldeburgh Christmas Festivities on 7 December deserved an extra push from us. It’s great that we can bring a festive look to the town during the dark winter months and it does help attract Christmas shoppers.
“I am happy to say that lots of local businesses and organisations have been very generous, at the time of going to press they include O&C Butcher, Fleur, Riley and Riley, The Wentworth Hotel, Slate, the Britten-Pears Foundation, Aldeburgh Carnival, Aldeburgh Fish & Chips, The White Hart Inn, Broham Forecourts, Sunflower Nursery, The Hotel Folk, Marshall Hatchick, Original Cottage Company, Aldeburgh Society, Aldeburgh Gallery, Aldeburgh Market, Joules, Aldeburgh Ltd, Adnams, Cragg Sisters, Wag & Bone, Rising Sun Chinese Takeaway, The Co-Op, Bedford’s, The Mill Inn, Prosecco O’Clock, Richard Kihl wines, Best of Suffolk, Fairweather Law, Two Magpies and the Town and County Council. Regatta Restaurant will be also paying for their lovely ‘memory tree’ on the beach and Danes Laundry freshened up Santa’s special outfit for him. Further money has been promised from others so …thank you everyone!
“I would urge anyone who has been meaning to donate but not got around to it to leave cash or a cheque at the Ipswich Building Society (in the High Street) or make a BACS payment Sort Code: 20-98-07, Account Number: 00341398 . Do make sure you say who you are so that we can thank you or include a note to say that you do not want to be publicly thanked. Hats off to Regatta Restaurant, Fielden Construction, The Britten Pears Foundation and Wag & Bone for providing the manpower and machinery that get the trees up – it’s never straightforward!”