Housebuilder makes donation to Bawming the Thorn event

APPLETON Thorn residents once again took to the streets to commemorate the annual Bawming the Thorn event, with a combined donation of £500 from Barratt and David Wilson Homes helping to cover the costs of the fete in the Village Hall Field.

The Bawming event is a centuries old tradition with a rich history. The whitethorn tree, situated directly outside St Cross Church, is believed to be an offshoot from the Glastonbury Thorn, which grew from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea, the man responsible for placing Jesus Christ’s body in the tomb.

The day’s celebrations began at the village hall, from which the parade left to perform a circuit of Appleton before arriving at the Thorn. Upon arriving at the tree, the local school performed a traditional dance around the tree whilst singing the Bawming song before decorating the tree itself with flowers and ribbons.

Following this, a fete was held at the village hall next door, with the joint donation of £500 from Barratt and David Wilson Homes going towards the costs of leaflets and tickets.

Sue Plass, Event Organiser of the Bawming Committee, said: “Without all of our sponsors, this event could not have gone ahead, so a big thank you from all of us involved in organising the Bawming the Thorn for the support we have received.”

Not only does the Bawming the Thorn event offer the local community something special to celebrate, but it also forms one of the main sources of fundraising for local village projects that aid the community.

The housebuilders had previously supported the event in 2020 although, due to the pandemic, it could not proceed.

Neil Goodwin, Managing Director of Barratt Homes Manchester, said: “After the event was unfortunately cancelled in 2020, we were once again excited to support the Bawming the Thorn this year.

Robert Holbrook, Managing Director of David Wilson Homes North West, said: “It is a fantastic event for the entire Appleton community and we are delighted to be able to continue our support of the local area.”

Barratt and David Wilson Homes are currently building at Orchard Meadows in Appleton, with both sites open by appointment only.

For more information on Orchard Meadows (Barratt Homes), please call the sales team on 0333 3558 474. For more information on Orchard Meadows (David Wilson Homes), please call the sales team on 0333 3558 480.