MORE than 1,000 people attended a community event in Rhyl on Christmas Eve to help spread festive cheer with children and those less fortunate.
This event, on December 24 at Holy Trinity Church and St Thomas’ Church grounds in Rhyl, was held for the fourth successive year in 2022, and was organised by the “Rhyl Wings Projects” community group.
The total of 1,257 attendees made it its most popular event yet, and the hundreds of pounds donated took the charity’s total funds raised this winter to more than £5,000.
The Salvation Army brass and bugle band provided festive sounds, while there was also a bouncy castle, face painting, Spider-Man, Batman, Pikachu and much more.
Santa and his elves handed out free presents to children, while free hot and cold refreshments will be provided.
Steve Ridyard, of Rhyl Wings Projects, was one of the event’s main organisers, and was blown away by the response from residents.
He said: “It was overwhelming. It’s grown from strength to strength each year. It’s been so rewarding.
“We’re going to have a meeting in the new year about who to share the money between. We made a lot of people happy, and that was the main goal.
“We had to open the other side of the church – it took 20 minutes to get through the door; it was that chaotic.
“Everybody there was so happy. The team we have was fantastic, I can’t thank them enough.
“Someone wrote to us saying thank you for all of our help, and that their Christmas would have been very empty otherwise, but our help changed their outlook.”
Leftover food and presents were later donated to the Westminster Hotel, on East Parade.
Last year, money raised was split five ways, between the Salvation Army, Rhyl Lifeboat Station, Holy Trinity Church, The Kings Storehouse foodbank in Rhyl, and Rhyl Fire Station.
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Steve added: “We’re going to keep the Rhyl Wings Projects active. Rhyl’s a small town, but we’re trying to make big changes.
“We want to start doing summer events next year as well, in the town centre or the Rhyl Events Arena.
“We’ll always keep the Christmas Eve event free, though. It’s nice to be nice, and it does go a long way.
“All you’ve got to do is change one person’s life, and that can have a ripple effect. It should be what everyone does.”
The group’s other charitable gestures have included a nude calendar, which sold all of its 200 copies, raising more than £1,000 in the process.
Earlier in December, early Christmas presents were also donated to the children’s units at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Bodelwyddan.
Presents given to the children, aged between 0 and 17, included deodorants, shower gels, dolls, teddy bears, and toys for infants, while every child received their own selection box of chocolates.
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