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Save the Children’s Christmas Cocktail
– A Recipe for Success
A glass of wine adds to the enjoyable shopping.
S
ave the Children Fund
began in 1919, just
after the Great War, but the
first branches did not begin
to appear until the early
30s. Their twin roles were to
raise money for and
awareness of the Fund
across the country. “The
Depression made their work
almost impossible but a few
branches in Lancashire,
Wales and the north-east
carried on, distributing relief
in the vast areas of
unemployment. The war
followed and although
attempts were made to
arouse local interest in
branches, it was not until
1944 that the real revival
began.”*
Above & Below Left: A Sumptuous Christmas Fair.
By the mid-1960s there were
450 Save the Children
branches in the UK, “and they
were contributing around 20%
of the Fund’s regular cash
income.” * Presently, there are
about 300, of which only 200
are active.
The Chelsea branch was
started in 1953 by a group of
friends and neighbours who
had worked together – mostly
in intelligence – during the war.
Later they were joined by
Westminster, to form the
Chelsea & Westminster. From
the late 50s for over 20 years,
they held huge, up-market
jumble sales. The first day was
by invitation only; the choicest
items were on sale in the
Chairman’s large Chelsea
house, where queues formed
around the block. Then
followed a two-day sale at
Chelsea Town Hall, which was
packed throughout and raised
tens of thousands every year.
When donations of clothes
dried up, largely due to the
advent of charity shops, they
filled the gap with Hat Sales
and very popular Pate’ lunches.
Then, in 1989, they decided to
put on a sumptuous Christmas
Fair, which would also be a
social event …. the Christmas
Cocktail.
Over time, they have raised
around £1 million for Save the
Children’s vital work.
This year, The Christmas
Cocktail will be on Tuesday 3rd
December at Chelsea Town
Hall, in the Kings Road. There
will be 65 carefully selected
stalls, selling all sorts of
beautiful gifts: silk jackets and
kimonos, cashmere jumpers,
gourmet foods, handmade
jewellery, homewares, clothes
for men and hand smocked
dresses for little girls.
The Fair runs from 12.30 until
9pm and for your £10 entry
fee, you will be given a glass of
wine, delicious canapes
throughout the day, and a
capacious bag for life to carry
away all your shopping.
Chelsea Town Hall.
The Champagne Bar is always
popular, as is the Tombola, and
many customers come every
year, with their friends, to
spend time catching up, and
doing their Christmas shopping
all in one day. There is always a
great atmosphere, with
everyone knowing that while
having a good time, they are
also supporting a well deserving
charity.
For Further Information Visit: www.christmascocktail.co.uk
* Source: If Any Man Build, Kathleen Freeman
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