A VIRTUAL community Christmas event has had to be postponed until next month because of the current lockdown.

Falmouth’s Virtual Community Christmas will now go ahead on Friday, December 18 starting at 6pm but is looking for more people to take part.

The organisers Falmouth Town Team say: "Perhaps you have a friend, loved one or family member living or working away from Falmouth this Christmas and you’d like to send them a Christmas message."

"Or perhaps you want to share your best mince pie recipe with everyone? Whatever it may be, send your videos in to Emma Webster via emma@falmouth.co.uk by December 9. The more original, colourful and musical community content, the better!"

The event was originally due to take place on the evening of Falmouth’s Christmas Light Switch-on but due to recent COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, event organisers felt it would be unsafe to both gather content and to stream the event. The Christmas lights switch-on will still take place on Thursday, November 26.

The Falmouth Town Team (the Falmouth BID and town council management partnership says the event will now take place on Friday, December 18 starting at 6pm.

It will be broadcast live on Falmouth’s official Facebook page, @Falmouth Cornwall UK and shared across other social channels.

The evening will be streamed live on air from the Cornwall Channel Studios. The programme will include recordings from local choirs and musicians, video messages of support, well wishes from residents, schools, volunteer and church groups as well as competitions.

To make sure the event is a success, Falmouth’s Town Team want everyone to get involved. They are looking for local musicians or performers.

Richard Gates, Falmouth Town Manager said: “We hope this will be a fun-filled online community event! I’d like to thank our partners for helping to facilitate the event, including the Christmas Working Group, Falmouth BID, The Cornwall Channel and 3 Deep Aerial. So, we’d love for our residents and businesses to take part in a COVID safe way.”

Commenting on the virtual evening, Richard Wilcox, Falmouth BID Manager said: “We will continue to do all we can to support the town, its residents and business community at this challenging time. We have such a strong community spirit in Falmouth, more important now than ever and so we hope to bottle some of that up and let it flow at this virtual Christmas event! We’re also looking at other ways to support our community throughout December such as Saturday free car parking as well.”

Perhaps you have a friend, loved one or family member living or working away from Falmouth this Christmas and you’d like to send them a Christmas message," said the team in a statement.

Or perhaps you want to share your best mince pie recipe with everyone? Whatever it may be, send your videos in to Emma Webster via emma@falmouth.co.uk by December 9. The more original, colourful and musical community content, the better!

Despite Falmouth’s lights switch on going ahead, on Thursday, November 26 this will not be an event to take part in or attend, so the advice is that people stay at home and follow government guidelines.