Eastbourne community group Christmas service

The Queens Collective is a group of 60 families that live in Queens Crescent and Queens Road. Back in March the group formed in response to the Covid lockdown to support each other through the restrictions.

Now the group has arranged a festive evening on Wednesday December 23, from 6pm. Everything will be Covid safe according to organisers.

The night includes carol singing, a visit from Father Christmas with local Rotarians, clapping for the NHS at 6.30pm and a drive by from emergency services.

There will be cakes baked by local residents for the emergency services and members of Eastbourne Foodbank and Matthew 25, a local homeless charity, are also attending to thank residents for their support through this year.

The group says it has achieved a lot since the first lockdown in March including neighbours helping each other with shopping when residents were isolating.

Masks were made for keys workers and donations were made to food banks and homeless charities too.

Children also got involved in the effort by making rainbows to brighten up everyone’s windows.

The community got out for a weekly clap on Thursday evenings and every Saturday the residents had a socially distanced dance from their driveways.

A number of competitions were held for children in the area too to keep them entertained during the weeks of lockdown.

Darren Scott, founder of the group, said, “This year has been hell for so many of us but we have kept the positivity and come together within our community. We would love to spread the word on how so much positivity has come out of such dire times.”

He said the group has gone from strength to strength.

Darren said, “We have grown in strength and have become friends and not just neighbours.

“This has been a trying year for so many people. We feel that a social distanced carol service would be a great idea with a chance to wish each other a very Merry Christmas.”

Flexy, an app that works to help people shop locally, donated more than £100 worth of baking ingredients in order for residents to make 25 cakes for the emergency services.

Speaking after the event, Darren said, “The evening was a great success with so many families attending and enjoying mince pies and mulled wine - it even stopped raining for the duration.”

For more information on Flexy go to flexyapp.uk

The Eastbourne neighbourhood which has come together