This evening Sir Bobby Charlton was at the Alderley Edge Methodist Church to officially open the Christmas Tree Festival, the first of it’s kind for the village.
Guests arrived to a stunning display of 42 beautifully decorated Christmas trees, all of which had been donated by local businesses, associations, schools and clubs in aid of the Church Spire Appeal and the national charity Crisis Christmas 2009.
The atmosphere was magical with all the trees glistening and Christmas carols from the Alderley Edge School for Girls String Ensemble. Reverend Ben Clowes opened the evening’s proceedings and introduced Sir Bobby Charlton who announced he was “pleased and so proud to have been asked this evening.”
Sir Bobby Charlton has a history with Alderley Edge Methodist Church having visited in 1968 to open the youth work centre in the cellar. He was asked to open the youth club by Louis Edwards, Chairman of Manchester United at the time, and told the audience “I remember coming here, but not what I came for.”
Sir Bobby generously donated a football shirt signed by Pele to kick start the fundraising and said “I visit Alderley Edge often and I really hope this event is a big success, you’ve got to have a good work ethic to raise the £100,000 required to mend the spire, it’s up to you but I expect an invitation to come back and open the new spire.”
The speech was followed by drinks and canapes as guests enjoyed a musical accompaniment by pianist Wendy Dorby.
Speaking with Judy Povey, Church Secretary, as we left she described the evening as “an astounding success with Sir Bobby Charlton being so generous.”
I have to agree, given this is the first of it's kind for the village what Judy and her team have achieved is astounding. We highly recommend you pay the festival a visit.
