Community spirit is hard at work in the heart of Lanarkshire as a volunteer group, who run a village Winter Warmer project, are to host a Christmas fair this weekend.
Continuing to work together, Bothwell Futures and Bothwell Parish Church, along with Reverend Iain Majcher, will hold their Bothwell Christmas Fair this Saturday, December 10, within the church grounds.
The event, which runs from 12pm to 6pm, comes complete with stalls from Chatelherault, live music, a giant snow globe, licensed bar, and Santa’s Grotto as well as the amazing Bathgate Brass Band and much, much more!
The Christmas fair comes just weeks after the launch of the the Winter Warmer+ Project, which is seeing visitor numbers now approaching 300 across the week with around 60 for dinner. It is open four days a week in the church building and is open to everyone.
With all households in the county facing the cost of living and climate crisis, not to mention the number of people facing wellbeing issues following the pandemic, the Winter Warmers Project is about people coming together, sharing a meal, a hot drink, or a chat in a warm and safe place.
It is manned by a surge of volunteers and supported by a number of local businesses including Cut, Riva Restaurants, Chapterhouse Café, the Amran, Babas Kitchen, Olympia and Rocca, who serve lunch and dinner, as well as Manorview Group, which has recently taken over the Bothwell Bridge Hotel, and donated sofas and a TV for the cosy corner. The hub also features two PlayStation 5s for young and old people alike to battle it out on Fifa23.
Reverend Majcher added: “The church has to look after its community and, while Bothwell has an image as a wealthy village, there is a real need for something like this.
“It’s not just homeless people and the poorest who need help. There are hard-working people who are not getting by at the end of the month or who are tackling loneliness or feel a real need to come together with others.
“We have a beautiful building here, but it means nothing if it’s closed. We must have the heating on anyway so we might as well use the building for something good.”
The project is set to run throughout the winter and there are plans for theme nights featuring movies and quizzes.
There is also a “community larder” where people can help themselves to groceries and other essential products such as toiletries.
Rev Majcher added: “People have been very generous with financial backing, and we have had other donations, such as two PlayStations.
“Often there is the idea that church is only for church folk, but we want to show there are no labels here and we are all members of the community.”
The Winters Warmers+ hub is open to everyone of all ages and a warm welcome will be extended to all who attend. If you want to donate to the cause a just giving page has been created and you can donate here.
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