Narnia experience casts an enchanting spell

They spent months planning the free-entry event, which took place last Saturday at the Hartlepool Borough Council centre and drew over 200 local residents and day service users’ families and friends.

Visitors were greeted by an atmospheric fall of snow from a snow machine and once inside they walked through a wardrobe into a mystical woodland with real Christmas trees, coming face-to-face with life-size papier mache figures including Aslan the lion and an Ice Queen. 

A fall of snow greeted visitors to the event

There were Christmas stalls selling gifts and tasty treats, plus a raffle and tombola.

A special highlight was a visit to Santa’s grotto, where 75 children from the local community each received a free selection box.

The creative director of the event was Lynn Maddison, Community Worker with the day service.

The centre was transformed into Narnia, complete with real Christmas trees.

The impressive character figures, costumes and effects were created by the day service staff and users using arts and crafts materials, scrap items and items donated by local firms and organisations, including Mulgrave Carpets which gave cardboard tubes left over from inside rolls of carpet to make the trunks of trees.

Caroline Hogg, Day Services Manager at the Centre for Independent Living, said: “Because of the Covid pandemic we hadn’t been able to do an event like this for the local community for several years, so we really pulled out all the stops.

“Everyone – day service users and staff – put in a lot of hard work over many months and we were thrilled by the response. People were amazed and really touched and said it was such a lovely start to the Christmas season. A very big thank you to everyone who supported us.

“The money raised will go towards organising future events – we’re already planning an Easter Fair and a Halloween Ball on the theme of Beauty and the Beast.”

Face-to-face with Aslan the lion

John Lovatt, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Assistant Director (Adult Social Care), said: “The day service users and staff set out to create a magical experience for children and families and they well and truly achieved that. The amount of work and the creativity that went into it was exceptional.

“It was a wonderful event and it was a delight to see the happiness on people’s faces. Everybody involved should be really proud of what they achieved.”