St Ives Town Initiative overcame the weather which once more did its best to put a dampener on our 5th Dickensian Christmas Market, but it did not force us to cancel as last year.

SITI did, however, have to change the location of the craft stalls at the last minute. After discussions with the District Council at 6.00 am that morning, it was decided to set up on Market Hill. This year we had made contingency plans for adverse weather, to avoid disappointing not only the stall holders but also the thousands of people who visit the town during the day. We do apologise for any inconvenience the relocation may have caused, but we felt it was better to do this rather than cancel for a second year running!

Father Christmas proved to be very popular this year, along with the face painting next to his Grotto. We had the funfair on The Broadway to keep the youngsters entertained.

Not all the acts we had booked could perform due to the inclement weather, but the Somersham Town Band took to the stage with a very varied programme, which was enjoyed by everyone. The excellent entertainment that followed was organised by the Christmas Lights Committee.

The best-dressed stall competition was won by Denise’s Flowers, and the best-dressed costumes were from The Stock Shop. Judging was carried out by German dignitaries from our twinned town of Stadtallendorf who admitted that choosing just one winner in each category had been very difficult as the standard was so high.

As darkness approached, the Christmas Lights were switched on by Mayor Deborah Reynolds, assisted by Billy Byrne, better known to us from BBC TV’s DIY SOS programme. A wonderful display of fireworks completed the evening. Christmas was officially here in St Ives!!

We should like to thank all our sponsors, and those who generously gave raffle prizes. All the events we hold are heavily dependent on the support of volunteers – helping to erect the stalls in the morning, or taking them down in the evening, or assisting with marshalling. We are always on the look out for more help, and so if you enjoyed the event and feel that you would like to put something back, even in a small way, please do contact us.

The St Ives Town Initiative is indebted to the St Ives Art Group for sharing their exhibition space in the Free Church this August Bank Holiday to accommodate our visiting musicians from our twin town of Stadtallendorf, the Trio Mardi Soir. Here is more information on this talented group.

St Ives Art Group has been in existence for many years with a current membership of 28; some members having belonged for more years than they care to remember! Meetings are on a regular basis at Wheatfields School during termtime on a Wednesday evening from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. The Annual Exhibition, which attracts many visitors, is held over the August Bank Holiday weekend in the Free Church in St Ives when all members are encouraged to exhibit their work. In addition to this main exhibition, members are also asked to each paint a picture depicting their own interpretation of a subject which is changed each year. These entries are then displayed together for added interest.

We have so much talent in this area that in fact there is a waiting list for membership, but anyone wishing to join or find out more please contact Yvonne on 01487 841989.

The St Ives Access Group (SIAG) was formed in 2001 and announced at the time: “We want a town centre that is alive and vibrant and can be used by people in wheelchairs, those who can’t walk far, those who don’t see very well, people pushing prams, and those who want to support local shops and see the town centre flourish – actually that means all of us.”

This is still our aim, and although there has been great improvement to access in the town, we feel there are still some areas where it is not as good as it should be. Prior to the enforcement of the Disability Discrimination Act 2004 we contacted 109 local businesses to remind them of the legislation, and to offer advice and assistance with changes they might need to make to comply with the law. We had a very well attended Disability Discrimination Day at which we were able to spread the information to more groups and individuals. Working with Town, District and County Councils, local businesses and multinational companies, SIAG has seen access improved in a number of areas:

• An increased number of parking spaces for blue badge holders

• Level access to some of the main banks

• Highlighting of step edges for better visibility

• Access from Needingworth Road/Meadow Lane to the long-term car park and Waitrose.

• Provision of playground equipment accessible to children with disabilities

• An increased number of businesses with portable ramps and call bells for assistance

SIAG is a member of the St Ives Town Initiative and we are very supportive of the work which is being done to improve the town. We have a diverse membership in age and disabilities, and we are always happy to provide assistance to anyone who needs help with accessibility issues. Looking to the future, we would like to see information about accessibility in St Ives available in printed and electronic form. We are self-funding and always looking for new members to either work on our committee, or support our campaign.

Please contact Sue on 01480 467091 or sue.ferreira@virgin.net for more information.

St Ives is a beautiful town and by working together we can ensure that everyone can enjoy all of it.