Christmas is the time for love and joy and most importantly; the time to support those who are in need.
On Sunday 4th of December, we were delighted to welcome back the choir from St John the Evangelist for the fourth annual Christmas Carols on the River.
It’s the highlight of our festive calendar and is an opportunity for us and our customers to give back to the local community all whilst enjoying a festive punt along the River Cam.
We spent a magical hour on the River Cam with the choir and due to tickets selling out in record time we were thrilled to see lots of spectators on Garet Hostel Bridge and the bridge of Sighs this year.
2022 Chosen Charity – Cambridge Aid
Each year 100% of our ticket sales are donated to charity; this year we have chosen to support Cambridge Aid and are thrilled to announce that £830 has been donated.
With the cost of living crisis, we felt that this year we really needed to ensure our donation went to local people who need it most.
“Cambridge was named the most unequal city in the UK in 2018 by the Centre for Cities Think Tank. The difference in life expectancy between Cambridge’s richest and poorest areas is about then years” (Cambridge Aid). Cambridge Aid provides rapid practical grants for local people in crisis, they work with over 40 local charities including;
Winter Comfort for the Homeless – An information, advice, training and support centre for those who are homeless or vulnerably housed.
Cambridge Women’s Resources Centre – A women’s community space and accommodation for vulnerable women.
Cambridge Re-Use – A warehouse of second-hand furniture specifically designed to help those who are on low income and benefits furnish their home.
Red Hen Project – Supports local families to raise happy, healthy and independent children.
St John the Evangelist Choir
Returning for the 4th time, St John the Evangelist Choir were absolutely amazing. Singing rousing Carols for an hour whilst our expert punters created a flotilla of 6 boats around the choir. We were treated to classic carols including Silent night and God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman finishing with a festive favourite – We Wish you a Merry Christmas!
Each year we make a donation to the choir to thank them for their time. This year we donated £150 to them which they very kindly donated to Wintercomfort for the homeless. We would like to say an absolutely huge THANK YOU to the choir and are already looking forward to seeing them next year.
Martin Bond (A Cambridge Diary) captured some fantastic images of the event from one of the Bridges in St Johns College, one of which ended up in The Times as the picture of the day! We were also featured on both Star Radio and BBC Radio Cambridgeshire in the run-up to the event. The waiting list is already open for next year so please do let us know if you’d like to be the first to know that tickets are on sale in 2023!.
Christmas Punt & Hunt Let’s Go Punting
Whilst the Carols may be over for this year, this December we still have our family-friendly Christmas Punt and Hunt. Running from the 3rd to the 31st of December, you can add an activity booklet to any private or shared tour departing in this period. There are lots of fun activities for your kids including a festive dot the dot and a spot the difference.
From all of us At Let’s Go Punting we would like to Wish you a very merry Christmas!
