Navigation Point Christmas Event

The first one of Navigation Point's Christmas Events went off with a bang.
At 5.30 Santa arrived on the Marina boat Adventure and followed by two elves he proceeded to his grotto situated in the car park next to a 30ft Christmas tree kindly donated by Mandale Properties.
Under the sound of festive tunes provided by Daniel Brobbel, an orderly queue of thirty to forty children formed in front of the Grotto. For £1 the children got to meet Santa and receive a present while the parents had their names entered in the NSPCC raffle organised by the Navigation Point Business Group, one of the prizes being a boat trip in the New Year.
The Mayor, Mr. Stuart Drummond arrived at 6pm to switch on the Christmas tree lights to loud cheers from the attendance.
Boat rides, walk-on-water and a cup-and-saucer ride provided further entertainment.
Some of the restaurants and bars joined in the fun, by selling such things as banana fritters, mulled wine, mince pies, roast chestnuts and hot chocolate laced with brandy to warm up the visitors.
Each business has pledged a prize towards the NSPCC raffle and so far, over £400 has been raised.
It is certainly heartwarming to see that despite the snowy conditions and very adverse financial crisis, Navigation Point businesses are coming together to help the NSPCC as well promote Hartlepool Marina.

Saturday 11th between 5pm and 7pm there will be more of the same.

Navigation Point Event

Businesses from Hartlepool's Navigation Point have come together to plan a series of events for December.
The lights on the Christmas tree donated by the landlords, Mandale will be switched on by our Mayor, Stuart Drummond on Saturday 4th December.

Daniel Brobbel from Norteast Sound and Light has promised to provide music and lights for the event.

Alyson Robinson of the eponymous School of Music will be bringing her choir to perform Christmas carols on Saturday 18th December between 5 and 7pm.

There will lots of things for the kids. As well as Santa dishing out presents to them, they will also be able to enjoy a walk on water on terra firma...

Businesses have donated vouchers for the NSPCC Christmas raffle.

Helping dish...

Some of you will remember the cookery competition I entered back in April. Just before I left for Algeria, I received my prize, a £250 Gordon Ramsay's voucher.

Well, since I won it for just doing something I love, "cooking", I have decided to raffle it and give the proceeds to the NSPCC.

Even if the winner can't be bothered to go to London for a slap-up meal, I'm certain that the voucher will easily fetch a couple hundred quid on Ebay.

We always hold an NSPCC raffle in December where we raffle a meal for two at our three restaurants so the idea to give away this voucher came naturally.