Feeding the 5,000

What a day!

A bright crisp Malvern morning brought the crowds flocking to town for the Malvern Christmas Festival. With the Priory at the very centre of all the fun.

There was something for everyone inside the Priory - from Christmas crafts and activities for children, to free refreshments and the famous home-made cakes, via Tower Tours, the prayer tree and candles and wonderful musical entertainment from artistes aged 7 upwards.

The huge, happy, team of Priory volunteers handed out leaflets, filled the rumbling, steaming urns, cleared tables, admired visiting canine companions (that’s Nigel sporting antlers in the pics above, and it was good to see Alfred the Otterhound and his family again (see ‘Sit!’ blogpost)), helped customers in the shop, and counted the thousands of visitors welcomed today - well over 5,000.
After the 5,000 had been fed, there were just eight cakes left.

And once the lights had been switched on, hundreds of folk of all ages headed to the warmth and light of the Priory to be led in joyful carol singing by the Priory Choir. Rod had polished up his very best worst cracker-jokes and was ably assisted by stars from the panto, Cinderella, which will open soon at Malvern Theatres.

With a final blessing the congregation left and the volunteers rallied round to clear up, ready for services tomorrow - ‘Christ the King’ - the last Sunday before Advent starts.

There’s plenty going on - do come along!