Children light up Christmas

The 20 Year 3 and Year 4 Witchampton CE First School pupils left their small village school behind to join a huge congregation at Salisbury Cathedral.

They were among 600 schoolchildren attending this very special Christingle Service, which raised money for The Children’s Society.

Also in attendance was the charity’s patron, the Duchess of Gloucester.

Head of Witchampton, Jo Hancock, said, “It was an incredible honour for our children to be invited to be at this Royal occasion.

“The service culminated with every person there holding a lit Christingle. It was a very special moment and one which our children will not forget for a long time.”

The Christingle service originated in the Moravian Church in Germany, and The Children’s Society introduced it to the Church of England in 1968 as a way to help disadvantaged children and young people.

A Christingle is a symbolic object used in the Advent, Christmas and Epiphany services of many Christian denominations.

It consists of an orange, representing the world, and a lit candle in the centre to represent Jesus.

A red ribbon wrapped around the orange or a paper frill around the candle, symbolises the blood of Christ and dried fruits or sweets pushed into the orange are the fruits of the earth.

Since its 1968 launch, Christingle has raised millions of pounds to support vulnerable children and young people across the country.

During the service at Salisbury Cathedral all the children joined together to sing an original song called Light a Candle that had been written especially for the occasion.

Witchampton is one of nine first and middle schools that form Wimborne Academy Trust. Trust CEO, Liz West, said, “What an incredible event for the children of Witchampton to be involved in.

“Not only was it a memorable occasion but they also played their part in raising money for more vulnerable children in our society, learning the true spirit of Christmas.”