Candles on St Catherine’s Hill

Sunday 24th November 2024

Workshop in Strangways Hall from 11am till 3pm.
Candlebags as usual @ £2 from local shops and Bridport Tourist Information Centre and at the Workshop.

Singing on the Hill from 3pm
A Service in the Chapel at 3.45pm

Last November when we set out the Candle Bags there was driving rain and a chill wind. But despite the weather your support was unwavering. How could we disappoint the people who created such gorgeous artworks on their candle bags and in particular the hundreds of bags decorated by the lovely children of our local schools.

Organisation for this year is already underway and will be one of the last events of this Millenium Year. Quite a milestone!

With this thought in mind please pop a note in your diaries for Sunday 24th November 2024 when St Catherine’s Wheel will be lit once more and the hopes and wishes encapsulated within the LED lit candlebags will be shining out for all to see. There will be music in the Chapel which was much admired last year and it will followed by a short service of thanksgiving at 3.45pm.

Of course none of this happens without you and your support, thank you.

VIEW / DOWNLOAD CANDLES ON ST CATHERINE'S HILL LEAFLET 2024

The project is being run by Friends of St Nicholas.
Led by: Julie Evans, Gard Gawor, Barbara Laurie

St Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of the chapel on the hill in Abbotsbury.
We celebrate on the nearest convenient Sunday to St Catherine’s Day, 25th November.

Reporting Candles on the Hill on 26th November 2023.

The event for Candles on St Catherine’s Hill, Abbotsbury, took place on Sunday, 26th November 2023. St Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of the chapel on the hill in Abbotsbury. We celebrate on the nearest convenient Sunday to St Catherine’s Day, 25th November.

It was a horrible, rainy day while the decorated bags were placed in a circle on the hill and along the pathway leading to the Chapel.
The service inside St Catherine’s Chapel, led by our wonderful Vicar, Margaret Preuss-Higham started at 3.45 pm and this year the hymn was accompanied by an a Capela group.

The wonderful artistic efforts of the children from Portesham Primary, Thorners Primary , Burton Bradstock Primary, St Catherine’s Bridport and Chesil Bank Pre-school, in decorating candle bags were much admired.

As with all successful community events there are many people to thank including our sponsors who make the whole thing possible. Our special thanks go to Beachcombers, Burton Bradstock Parish Council, Chesil Bank Parish Council, Doonans of Weymouth purveyors of sand! , Fourniers, Graham Hunt Photography, Ilchester Estates, Litton Cheney Parish Council, Sherrens the Printers, Technical Graphics.

Thanks also to our local Abbotsbury shops for helping us to sell bags: Abbotsbury Village Store, Cherries, Robins Farm shop, Danzel Gallery, Helen Millard Gallery, Abbey Farm, Clare Hawkes Gallery, From My Mother’s Garden, Duircrafts and this year for the first time the Tourist Information shop in Bridport came on board.We heartily thank you all for your support which is much appreciated.

The event was run by members of the Friends of St Nicholas a charity whose aim is to maintain the fabric of our historic church. Led by: Julian Andrews, Julie Evans, Gard Gawor, Helen Millard, Barbara Laurie