Destination: Elf Village!
We were thrilled when the lovely folk at Transdev offered to transport local schoolchildren to Elf Village again this year. And we were even more excited when we learned what they would be travelling on!
First ever customer journey on the new electric buses!
Yes, that's right! Local schoolchildren from Oatlands Infants became the very first passengers on these brand-new all-electric double-decker buses!
The children were picked up and school and delivered to Elf Village at the Cedar Court Hotel, where they were greeted by Father Christmas and his elves, who whisked them inside for some very important elf training...
The Green Elf Project
Enchantica's Green Elf Project is now in its third year and sees children from local Harrogate schools immersed in a magical festive theatre production while learning about the importance of sustainability at Christmas.
Led by founder Suzie Vaughan, also known as Tinsel the Elf, the team passionately brings the enchantment of the North Pole to life. The show teaches children the key values of reduce, reuse, and recycle and how to apply these to their festive activities and waste at home.
Suzie says, “As a local educational theatre producer, we are passionate about using theatre to bring learning to life. Through stories brought alive by Father Christmas and Tinsel, we captivate audiences while supporting education, well-being, and environmental awareness. By collaborating with other businesses, we prove that magic truly happens when we work together.”
Thanks to our sponsors:
The other businesses in question are our generous local community sponsors who have made this magic possible:
Specsavers
Kempston Parkes
Hindson and Collier
Verity Frearson
Myrings
One Nine Signs
Red House Gallery
David Lloyd
Thompsons
Transdev (providing transportation)
Cedar Court Hotel (sponsors and venue hosts)
Suzie (aka Tinsel the Elf) says, “We're so thankful for the support of local businesses - their donations have subsidised the show tickets this year and allowed children from three different schools to come along and learn some key sustainability messages. The children have learned the importance of caring for the environment and have been given some steps and ideas that they can put into practice at home to ensure they produce less waste this Christmas.”
The schoolchildren all had a wonderful time at the show, with delicious pre-show festive cookies provided by Cedar Court and time with Father Christmas at the end, too. They then got to enjoy a second ride on the new buses as they were driven back to school.
If you'd like to find out more about getting involved in the Green Elf Project, whether as a local school or a local business, please get in touch via the contact form below - we'd love to hear from you!