On Thursday the 11th of December Low Wood hosted a very special Spirit of Christmas Afternoon Tea Event.
Martha Wood, Reception Shift Leader who organised the event
Martha Wood, the Reception Shift Leader from Low Wood Bay had an idea to do something fantastic for some of the older members of our local community to spread some Christmas Joy! What started as a small idea was then encouraged by the management of the hotel and English Lakes Directors and also supported by many local businesses in the area. This spurred Martha on to organise a memorable event full of festive joy for over one hundred people from our local community.
Guests attended from various groups in the area including, Rowan Court Retirement Flats, Langdale wives group, Insight Blind Advice, Evergreen Parish Centre Ambleside, Friends of Coniston Primary, Millans Court & Kendal Day Centre. They were welcomed into the Langdale Lounge where everyone received a glass of bubbly, some of which had been donated by Dave Bedford at ASDA Kendal. Then guests where shown to the Windermere Restaurant where there were 10 tables, each place setting having a Welcome booklet and a Song book with some festive carols so that everyone could join in later on. The Staff from The Word of Beatrix Potter in Bowness had donated a selection of scones and on the centre table there was a huge array of cakes and goodies on display – all baked and donated by staff members from Low Wood Bay and English Lakes Support Office.
The guests took their seats and were served tea, coffee and sandwiches, all provided free of charge by Low Wood Bay and then they helped themselves to the selection of cakes from the centre table. They also had a host on each table which included some of the staff and management team from the hotel as well as 2 of the Company Directors who chatted to the guests and helped them bring cakes back to their table.
Lots of fantastic raffle prizes donated by many local businesses
We had a display table at the front of the Restaurant which had an array of beautifully wrapped prizes which had all been donated by local businesses in the Windermere and Ambleside area. Prizes included an Afternoon Tea for 2 at Low Wood Bay, Scarves, Purses, Bouquets of Flowers, Chocolates, Gift Vouchers and Gift Sets to name just a few. Each guest was given a raffle ticket and the raffle was drawn by Nevil Jeffery, Low Wood Bay Manager, who was dressed as Santa Claus, just to add a little more Christmas spirit!
If guests wished, they made a small optional donation which we passed on to Cancer Research UK, the charity chosen by the first raffle winner. It was a great added extra to be able to donate something to charity as a result of such a fantastic day!
The Lakes Gospel Choir
Lakes Gospel Choir also joined us on the day to lead us in some Christmas carol singing and ending with a fantastic ’12 Days of Christmas’ game where each table was given a picture of the different items for the 12 days and had to stand up and do actions whilst singing their particular day. It was a great way to end this lovely Christmas event and everyone had a great big smile of their faces and said how much they had thoroughly enjoyed themselves!
After the event, Betty Potts, Evergreen Parish Group, said
Our people thoroughly enjoyed it all, especially the 12 Days of Christmas! One of our ladies going back in my car said it was the best Christmas event she’d been to for a long time.
and Lorraine Dawson, Rowan Court Living Well, wrote
Seven of our 18 residents were able to take advantage of the fabulous hospitality laid on by Low Wood Bay, Windermere and each had the most amazing afternoon.
The whole event was really enjoyable… the food, entertainment and the service of all the staff. Our people thoroughly enjoyed it all, especially the 12 Days of Christmas! One of our ladies going back in my car said it was the best Christmas event she’d been to for a long time.
The whole event was really enjoyable… the food, entertainment and the service of all the staff. Our people thoroughly enjoyed it all, especially the 12 Days of Christmas! One of our ladies going back in my car said it was the best Christmas event she’d been to for a long time.
Singing and Dancing with the Choir
The whole event was really enjoyable… the food, entertainment and the service of all the staff. Our people thoroughly enjoyed it all, especially the 12 Days of Christmas! One of our ladies going back in my car said it was the best Christmas event she’d been to for a long time.
A huge thank you to all of the support I have had in arranging this event, from all the staff members who made and donated cakes and goodies to the hotel and management and last, but certainly not least, to all of the amazing businesses that supported this event in many different ways:
Raffle prize donations
- No 22 Clothing Shop, Windermere
- Chocolate Crescent, Windermere
- Manuka Health Stores, Windermere
- Cinderella Me Clothing, Windermere
- The Bath House, Ambleside
- Tesco, Ambleside
- Rush Clothing, Ambleside
- Booths, Windermere
- Hayes Garden World, Ambleside
- Zeffirelli’s & Fellini’s, Ambleside
- The Fudge Shop, Ambleside
- Spar, Ambleside
- Valerie Ann’s Flower Shop, Windermere
- The Flower Shop, Ambleside
- Morrison’s, Windermere
- Low Wood Club
- Low Wood Bay Housekeeping
- Old Bank Chocolate House, Ambleside
- Boots, Ambleside
- Frothimoon, Kendal
- The Attic, Ambleside and Grasmere
A Big Thank You too..
- English Lakes Staff Members who have donated cakes and treats
- Mountain Goat Tours for transport
- Brackens of Bowness for table decorations
- Asda, Kendal for the drinks reception
- The World of Beatrix Potter, Bowness for the donation of cake and scones
