Christmas in Bandon

Happy Christmas to all of our readers,

I know that our simple blog has reached the far corners of the earth over the last few weeks. Many of our ex-pats have been logging on from near and far to read what has been happening locally post flood. To those of you who cannot be home over the festive period, our thoughts and best wished are with you.

Yes, it has been cold over the last few days but my word, doesn't it make great photographs! I was lucky enough to be able to take a few photos this morning of certain parts of Bandon and I hope that I may be able to create postcards / Christmas cards in the near future in order to raise funds for local charitable groups.

It's great to hear many people deciding against doing their Christmas shopping elsewhere and making the correct decision to keep both business and money in the local economy .... well done to all concerned.

As stated in previous posts, the great work done by the Bandon Co-marketing fund has been a great success:

Just look at what they've accomplished:

Bandon, It's Alive Campaign Highlights for Shoppers
> * Live & DJ Music bringing the Streets of the Town Alive
> * Town Dressed for a Festival Feeling
> * Clubs & Community Trail bringing people together
> * Three Free Entry Draws of Hampers of Vouchers worth over EUR550 each
>
> * Christmas Fair
> * Extension of street activities post-flood into December
> * Great Offers, Clearly Visible
>
> Bandon Co-Marketing Group Highlights for Traders
> * Significantly increased media coverage for Bandon - advertising &
> editorial - than possible individually
> * Street Events can bring more people onto the streets and increase
> interaction with shoppers
> * Cost Effective sourcing of signage & point of sale materials
> * Promoting the town can benefit individual businesses
> * Start of a total business, electronic, database for effective
> communication
> * Building relationships between businesses and other organisations

To all involved ... please keep doing what you've done so successfully ...It has been a complete win-win situation for all concerned.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

T Collins


>

Christmas Updates

So much news ... so little time to tell you:

Please be advised that Bandon will be host to President McAleese this coming Monday (Dec 21) afternoon. It is a gesture really appreciated by the victims of the recent floods.

The Bandon Christmas Lights are up and running ..... congrats to all concerned who did a huge amount of work in the background to get them up.

Thank you to the charity Act Of Random Kindness for their recent donations of hampers to various worthy families in the Bandon area... more details of this fantastic group to follow.

Congrats to Ruth & Willie Healy of Urru and their Bandon Marketing Group who made a huge difference with their efforts of promoting what Bandon has to offer. Well done on such a great job.

Hosfords Garden centre on the Clonakilty Road have a very active Christmass timetable organised ... it's worth checking out!

Bandon walking club have organised a walk for Dec 28'th .... perfect timing to walk off the Christmas dinner!

Check out the exciting Christmas Opinion for a great review of the year of the local area.

And finally, just to put an element of closure to the recent flooding, well done and thank you to all who made a difference. To those who suffered a loss, I hope that everything sorts itself out for the best in the very near future. To those who helped out.... your efforts have been much appreciated. To those who went above and beyond the call of duty in helping others.... and you know who you are ...... Bandon is proud of you!

T Collins
17/12/09

Sat 12'th Dec - Great Day Assured

The following is the rough schedule for tomorrow:

From 9am Ballymoden Place closed to traffic (traffic can drive in and around
old shopping centre car park and turn left at top on Weir St.) until 3.30pm

From 9.30am Normal Farmers Market in Ballymoden Place

From 12 noon additional stalls for Christmas Fair & DJ Music till about
3.30pm when road will re-open but with barriers along the edges of the road
for additional pedestrians for the Christmas Lights events.

Around 4pm Draw Winner will be announced from the Gig Rig (please have your
tickets into Urru or to the Gig Rig by 3pm)

From 4/5pm Christmas Lights organisers start proceedings

6pm Lights Switched On

Enjoy your day!!!

WhatsOnBandon December Issue

Please find attached a Microsoft word version of the most recent Whatsonbandon newsletter:
Copy%20of%20Whats%20On%20November%20Flood%20Issue%20V2%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.doc

SHHHHH Keep this on the quiet !!!!

We're getting there!

It's great to see the number of activities that are about to take place in the town over the next few weeks.

I'm not too sure if it is public knowledge yet but despite all the setbacks we've had recently, don't be surprised to the famous Cristmas Lights up over the next two weeks. More details will be posted when available. I suggest that children of all ages ensure that they are in Bandon on dec 12'th at 6pm sharp. (You have been warned!!!)

As for the trojan work that Ruth Healy and her Bandon co-marketing group have been doing .... have a look at this piece that I received recently:

In addition there is on-street dj music planned for Sat 5th/ 12th/ 19th in addition to all that is happening on the 12th (Christmas Fair, Lights etc..). We have lollipops and sweets to hand out on the streets

P.S. well done to Helen and Liz Twomey for getting their shop, Crowley Calnans ready for what we hope will be a busy Christmas period