SPECIAL TEA PARTY FOR ARMY CHILDREN

On 1 December 2010, the Chantry Centre, together with Father Christmas and Chantry Bear, provided a special pre-Christmas treat for twenty-four young children whose parents were serving with the armed forces in Afghanistan.

This group of young VIPs were treated to a Christmas tea party followed by a special visit to see Santa in his Grotto. All of the children attending had a parent serving with the Second Royal Tank Regiment, based in Tidworth, deployed in Afghanistan.

The Tea Party took place in Chantry Court, and the children were entertained by Chantry Bear and his friend Buzzy the Clown and
all received an individual party bag bursting with goodies provided by Waitrose, Tesco Metro, Thorntons, McDonalds and other Chantry Centre stores.

The party culminated with a special VIP visit to see Santa in his Grotto where the children received an early Christmas present and had their photo taken. The photo was then inserted into a Christmas card, decorated by the children, to send to their absent parent.