The Cornwall Christmas Fair has raised more than £1 million for charity over its 34-year history. Co-Chairs Kate Holborow and Jane Hartley share a little bit of history and what goes on behind the scenes:
L-R: Nicky Roads (former committee member), Kate Holborow and Jane Hartley (co-chairs)
How did the fair begin?
K: It was my mother’s idea (Lady Mary Holborow). She was a great friend of Charlotte Galsworthy and saw first-hand how amazing the Macmillan nurses were who looked after Charlotte. She decided, with a group of friends, to host an event in her memory for Macmillan Cancer Support on 31st October 1991 (see invitation, below). Kitty Galsworthy, Charlotte’s daughter-in-law, is now on the committee as vice-chair.
When did you come on board?
J: I went to the first one pushing my now-35-year-old in a pram and got involved in 1993 when it moved to the Hotel Bristol in Newquay, helping organise the art. After two or three years, we were sat at Mary’s table and she said, ‘Jane, could you run the stalls for me?’ I said, ‘Mary, I have three children under five, I don’t think I could.’ She ignored all that and from then on, I ran the stalls for about 15 years.
K: All my Christmas presents were always from the Christmas Fair – my mother and grandmother both bought them all there. In 2008 I first got involved and went onto the committee.
How has the fair changed?
J: We moved it to Eden 12 years ago, really thanks again to Kate’s mum, who was an extraordinary visionary – a Holborow trait.
K: My company, Wild Card, was doing the PR for Eden, and we were talking about Eden being the village hall for Cornwall. We knew the fair wanted more space.
J: Kate came on board and said you’re missing a trick, you’ve got no sponsors. We never had any financial sponsors until then – it had always been a social event in Cornwall and good for people to be involved with.
K: And since 2019 all funds raised have gone to the charity Cornwall Community Foundation, which means it goes to lots of different causes in the county, helping communities to thrive.
The fair raised a fantastic £68,000 for Cornwall Community Foundation last Christmas. How do you do it?
J: The fair had always raised between 15 and 20 thousand pounds. Then when we moved to Eden in 2013, Kate said ‘we can get to 50 thousand’!
K: Every time we talk about the fair, the first thing we say is that we have the most incredible committee, all working very hard and all volunteers. It has grown over the years, and we now have a very professional committee with a range of great skills.
J: We now do things like a cocktail hour, Christmas cakes, Christmas jumpers – we are always trying to evolve and make more money for those people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly who need the help.
What makes the fair unique?
J: The glitter of the night – the Christmas lights. And we don’t just let stallholders come and sell. The stalls team researches and sees items beforehand to make sure they’re special and there’s a loose rule that stalls generally can’t do more than two years in a row so as to keep it interesting for the guests at the fair. Eden also produces really delicious food for us (for the preview evening dinner on 19th November and lunch on the 20th) so it’s a very social occasion.
K: In 2017 my mother died, and we had the biomes lit in her memory. Ever since, different sponsors – this year Wildanet – have enabled us to light the biomes, and Eden makes it all look beautifully twinkly.
What are best presents you have found at the fair?
J: Sometimes they become Christmas presents for yourself! Do you remember those beautiful suede coats in the early days? We all bought cow hide bags one year and I have a pink silk shirt that reminds me of the fair every time I wear it. I also absolutely love my Paul Jackson jug that I purchased last year for myself – it sits in pride of place in my kitchen. And thank goodness for the fair for stocking fillers.
K: Lots of lovely chunky jewellery, lovely silk scarves and lacquer trays. Paul Jackson jugs, plus all our dogs have collars from the fair.
What does it take to organise each fair?
K: Persuasion and persistence. You have to keep going and keep asking. It’s a year-round job. We start thinking about the next fair in January.
J: We’ve got a team of high-powered ladies who work incredibly hard and manage to fit it into their busy lives. Then there are the fantastic stallholders themselves with their brilliant creations.
What is your favourite part of each fair?
K: I love the preview evening when people arrive – all the socialising. You put on your Christmas kit. And Jane and I go shopping together each year and help each other with ideas.
J: We love seeing everyone. We work hard largely independently all year so it’s so fun to see everybody together having a good time.
What are you most excited about at this year’s fair?
K: Our new Rodda’s Pre-loved Christmas jumpers stand.
J: We’re going to have much larger Christmas lights – they will be spectacular. Make sure you go into the Mediterranean biome (where we eat supper) and look around.
People don’t always realise that a day ticket to the fair also gives you access to the whole of the Eden Project.
What would Lady Mary Holborow say if she could see the fair now?
K: She’d be so thrilled about it and really pleased that Kitty (Galsworthy) and Pix (Ashworth) are taking over next year as co-chairs with us as vice-chairs. She would see that as giving strong continuity for the future and appreciate the connection between Kitty and her friend Charlotte.
J: She knew them both and would be over the moon, as we both are.
You can buy your tickets for this year's fair below:
