Horsham community invited to join an outdoor Carols in the Car Park service by the Salvation Army this Christmas Eve

Carols in the Car Park will take place in front of the illuminated nativity scene which has been assembled gradually in the run up to Christmas, with new characters added each week.

The service will be held at 4.30pm on Friday, December 24 at the Salvation Army HQ in Booth Way near Horsham station.

For anyone wanting to celebrate Christmas and keen to minimise risks during the current level of pandemic, this event gives them a chance to enjoy singing carols with a Salvation Army brass band and listen to the Christmas story in a socially distanced outdoor setting.

The Salvation Army also wants to thank the local community for backing its annual Christmas Present Appeal, which supports local families facing a tough Christmas. Thanks to the generosity of local people, schools and businesses, a record 840 children from 344 families were supported with Christmas presents and food vouchers to ensure no child in Horsham, Crawley and surrounding areas will wake up without presents and a Christmas dinner this year.

Majors Ann and Iain Stewart, who lead The Salvation Army in Horsham, and their team of volunteers, have been working tirelessly to meet demand following referrals from local schools and support agencies. However they would not have been able to help so many families without such a high level of donations from local people.

Major Ann Stewart said: “After this difficult year many more local families are experiencing increasing financial pressures. So it’s a real blessing to witness the difference that has been made by our local community’s generous spirit. Now that this year’s present parcels have been safely delivered, what better way to get ready for Christmas than to join us on Christmas Eve for some socially distanced carol singing.”

After a short rest, preparations for Christmas 2022 begin in earnest in January when Iain and Ann will start to look for low-cost opportunities to stock up for next year’s present appeal. At the same time support programmes for vulnerable adults and families are run throughout the year so they would welcome any donations which can be made through the JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/horsham-sa2 . Alternatively, cheques can be made payable to 'The Salvation Army'.