Hundreds of festive residents flocked to our regeneration projects this month to enjoy the annual Woodberry Down Winterfest and Winter Lights Festival at Grahame Park.
At Woodberry Down, residents gathered in large numbers for a jam-packed evening of carol singing, festive food, and to watch the dazzling display of Christmas lights. Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney, led the countdown to switch on the Christmas lights. Talented young singers from St Thomas Abney Primary School and Fame Star Youth then kicked off the festivities with Christmas carols.
The celebrations moved on to the Redmond Community Centre which hosted a winter market and indoor celebrations. This included craft activities, a Christmas singalong, children’s entertainment, and stalls from local craft groups.
Families tucked into a free festive feast with their neighbours, while children enjoyed face painting and music. Additionally, residents could enter a raffle contest with the chance to win Christmas hampers.
Meanwhile Grahame Park played host to the Winter Lights Festival, which saw the concourse lit up with an impressive array of LEDs, alongside an 18-foot Christmas tree, donated by Pines and Needles. The event was delivered in partnership with Wates, the Colindale Community Trust, Barnet Council and Barnet Homes, some of the key stakeholders in the regeneration project.
There was festive music, hot drinks, food and a lot of Christmas cheer on the chilly evening. There was a strong presence from a range of community groups supported by Notting Hill Genesis, with stalls offering Christmas card and decoration-making, and festive-themed taster sessions from Grahame Park’s cookery group. There was even a performance by students of a local dance class, who mixed Bollywood and belly-dancing with a Christmas twist – a unique fusion!
As part of the event, Notting Hill Genesis and Barnet Homes invited residents to discuss the on-going regeneration plans to ensure their input is heard. This included residents being able to vote on the names of three new blocks, with the list of potential names selected from some of the earliest black pilots in the RAF. This will commemorate the estate’s heritage links to Hendon Aerodrome.