Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you from ThePORT!

There has been so much activity going on at Littleport’s The Port youth group in the lead-up to this winter that it would take up this entire magazine to tell you all about it!

Not to mention the fact that accompanied by the responsible adults many of ThePort’s youngsters deliver over a thousand magazines around Littleport every quarter – including this one that you are looking at now!

The driving force behind ThePort is Joanne Coe ably assisted by Lindsay Cross.

In direct contrast to the mindless vandalism that seeps in to every community, including our own in the village, Joanne encourages positivity and caring for their community in the young people who participate in the varied projects.

The group haven’t been able to meet up much on a Monday after school at the Ex-Servicemen’s Club, their usual day and venue, as the restrictions have cut a swathe through them. But their actual activities have gone on unabated, even increased since the regulations emplaced due to the pandemic have been implemented.

As well as in serious mode helping cook and serve hot meals at Clare’s Kitchen, the great new café at Sharman’s garden centre in Camel Road (lovely plants and gardening accoutrements by the way and reasonably priced too) for children during the October school holidays, Joanne and Lindsay together with Peacocks Meadow organiser Deborah Curtis Watson produced a fantastic Halloween event.

ThePort members Ty, Callum, Sophie, Lyvie also Liam and Kaci and their mum Sheila, with Joanne’s husband Andy, put out the amazing spooky objects and then were mine hosts for the early evening display that was enjoyed by the very many visitors. As were the sweets donated by YPL!

Known for the ‘Random acts of Kindness’ like placing little gifts around the village for children to find, or painting pebbles with nice words and pictures and decorating Littleport fences gates and trees with crafted objects like flowers from plastic bottles and woven ribbons and pompoms, there are more planned for this winter season.

This winter ThePort is cheering up Littleport with a Christmas Stocking Hunt!

Joanne asked for donations through the Facebook page Littleport Community Group and received a wonderful response! The stockings containing the gifts are placed each day from December 1st until the 24th – and on Christmas Eve a specially put-together Christmas Hamper! Everyone who finds a stocking containing a laminated note and sweets is asked to picture and post on Facebook and the prize is then collected from Joanne.

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