NEXT week High House Community Group are inviting the people of Thurrock to a brief celebration of the Christmas Season with mince pies, mulled wine and carol singing lead by the choir master of the Wesleyan Church in South Ockendon.

There will also be some traditional Christmas readings - favourite poems from our "Pigeon Lady" and an extract from "A Christmas Carol" with a special guest from Thurrock Courts Players as Scrooge.

We owe most of our Christmas traditions to the Victorians, so the group are bringing back a sense of past times to this beautiful little gem of a heritage site where Christmas has been celebrated since the late 1500s when the Manor House was first built.

There will probably be at least one 21st century lady in disguise as a Victorian, so if you want to wear Victorian costume - feel free. Oh, please - charge up your phones to bring light to the South Courtyard so we can mix tradition with modern technology.

This may be a traditional celebration, but of course, all faiths, all denominations, all traditional dress, all spirits of Christmases past, exceedingly welcome.

As usual with our Community Group events - no charge - however, we always welcome donations!

Date - 18th December

Place - High House, Vellacott Close, Purfleet, RM19 1RJ - The South Courtyard

See addional info link below.