Bellway has supported the revival of a festive village tradition by hosting community carol singing at the site of the former Blue Bird Toffee factory in Hunnington.
The annual singalong around the big Christmas tree at Blue Bird was a popular event with villagers for decades until the factory closed in 1998. Last year, almost three decades on, carol singing returned to the site off Bromsgrove Road, where Bellway is building new homes at its Harvino development, as part of an event organised by local residents. And this year, the housebuilder invited the carol singers to perform outside a showhome at Harvino, where it also put up a Christmas tree and gave out mince pies, mulled wine and selection boxes to visitors.
The singalong was part of an evening of community carol singing led by the Friends of Romsley and Hunnington on Thursday (18 December). The group visited three venues across the village, handing out song sheets and inviting people to join in with the festive singing, mime or simply watch. Ray Carr, Treasurer for the Friends of Romsley and Hunnington, said: “The event was great fun and helped to bring a smile to the faces of many people in the village.
“It was very kind of Bellway to allow us to sing outside the showhome at the Harvino development. It was also generous of the company to provide us with the festive refreshments and free selection boxes for the children. It is lovely that Bellway has embraced the local community as this night is reviving a tradition which first started decades ago when people used to gather round a big Christmas tree on the toffee factory site and sing carols. After the factory closed in 1998, the annual carol singing fell out of favour, but we decided to bring it back three years ago and it goes from strength to strength each year. This support from Bellway really does help.”
Angela Nurse, Sales Manager at Bellway West Midlands, said: “The community carol singing night in Hunnington is a fantastic event which brings people in the village together at his very special time of year.
“The Friends of Romsley and Hunnington have done an excellent job in reviving this local tradition and as part of our commitment to making a positive difference in the communities where we build we were keen to support them in making this year’s event a success. Given that the event has its roots on this site, it seems entirely fitting that Harvino should be one of the venues for this heart-warming festive gathering. The air was filled with the joyous sound of Christmas carols and it was marvellous to see people smiling, singing their hearts out and having a wonderful time.
“And as it’s the season of goodwill, we felt it was only right to invite the carol singers inside so they and everyone else gathered could enjoy the festivities in the warmth of our showhome.” Bellway is building 86 homes at Harvino, as part of the regeneration of the former toffee factory site. The factory closed in 1998, after more than 70 years of sweet production.
Bellway named the development after Harvino, the original brand name of the toffee made at the factory. In another nod to the site’s history, all house types at Harvino have been named after shades of blue in homage to the Blue Bird brand.