The View, 6 Rangers Road, Chingford, E4 7QH Artwork by local artist Linda Bondy, featuring oils, watercolours and drawings of Epping Forest. Free – no booking required.  

Come and enjoy Epping Forest’s winter wonderland over our festive Forest weekend. Our younger visitors will especially appreciate this year’s Frozen theme, with Elsa and Anna in attendance for an extra-special festive treat. Get that perfect winter photo opportunity with Elsa and Anna in their magical Frozen sleigh before they set off for woodland adventures. Our Christmas roller disco, which all the family can enjoy, is available at just £4.50 for half an hour (skates included). There will also be balloon modelling, craft activities, local produce and handmade items for sale, not to mention cheeky Forest elves, woodland walks and an array of festive fun activities for all the family.

Our voices will fill the midwinter air but remember to wrap up warm. (If the weather is unsuitable to be outside we will go into the barn.) Please stay for some refreshments and enjoy listening to local musicians playing seasonal music;

• A welcome visit from the North Ockendon Hand Bell Ringers at 2.00pm
• Followed by Churches Together coming along to complete our celebration at 3pm.

As the winter nights draw in experience Eastbury Manor House by candlelight with costumed tour guides. Tours last approximately 1.5 hours. A tea is included in the price of the ticket. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. £10 Tickets are available by clicking on the link above. There is a small admin fee charged by Eventbrite, you can also purchase tickets in person at Eastbury Manor House by visiting the property on Thursdays and Fridays, 10am to 4pm and on Sundays 12noon to 5pm. For more information please email eastburymanorhouse@lbbd.gov.uk For tickets go to : https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/candlelit-tour-tickets-25166749425

• Email: enquiries@thameschase.org.uk
• Phone: 01708642970

• Raising funds for the Community Forest (Charity No.1115627)

Come and explore the Hall in all its festive glory and discover how homes were decorated for Christmas three-hundred years ago. Jensen's Gin will be in-residence for the evening recreating sumptuous traditional gin recipes for you to try with a piece of gingerbread. There will also be the chance to make you own traditional decoration in our mini Christmas workshop. Nestled in the Bermondsey railway arches, an area steeped in eighteenth century maritime history, you will find an amazing distillery. Jensen’s Gin use traditional botanicals to recreate recipes used and loved for hundreds of years. Rainham Hall and Jensen’s worked together in summer 2016 to create a fabulous evening looking at the history of Gin and this Christmas guests can explore this history even further. There were no Christmas trees in the early eighteenth century but the Georgians loved to bring the outdoors in. Boughs of holly, ivy and rosemary would have adorned the windows of Rainham Hall during John Harle’s lifetime, and they will do once again this year. Join us at the Gin & gingerbread evening and wander the Hall with hot gin punch and admire the displays of greenery. There is even the chance to make your own miniature table decoration to display on your Christmas table at home at our decorations workshop. It’s the perfect event to head to after a busy day of Christmas shopping. Tickets are £18 and include entry to the Hall, the workshop and one complimentary drink. [caption id="attachment_1400" align="alignnone" width="560"] Jensen's Gin at Rainham Hall (Image Credit: National Trust / Ella Hewitt)[/caption]