Stormzy is hosting probably the biggest kids’ Christmas party ever seen in Croydon.
Ho, ho, ho: Stormzy is showing the spirit of Christmas
Organised through the musician’s charity, the Merky Foundation, the event is taking place at the Fairfield Halls on Friday.
Tickets to attend were free, but had all been snapped up within hours of being released.
Friday’s event is split over two time slots, with the first half for those aged between four and nine, and the second half for those aged 10 and above. Tickets were limited to four per family or group, and each child under-16 has to be accompanied by an adult. Tickets were available only to Croydon residents.
The Merky Foundation was established in 2019 with a mission to fight racism and provide opportunities for your black people. Next year will see a second round of Stormzy-funded scholarships provided to Cambridge University for promising black students.
Stormzy, who grew up in South Norwood, has pledged £10million over 10 years for the Merky Foundation and its works and projects.
Hottest ticket in town: this will be a Christmas party with a difference
According to the organisers’, Friday’s party at the Fairfield Halls “is a chance for the Croydon community to enjoy a day out and have a chance to win some very special prizes”.
They said, “The party, founded by an abundance of generous donors, will include a plethora of activities including games, performances, tombola, workshops and more with Stormzy also being present to join in the fun.”
Stormzy’s book imprint, Merky Books, is donating 500 copies of their first children’s book, Superheroes: Inspiring Stories of Secret Strength, “a celebratory collection of modern-day heroes curated by Stormzy”.
The author and performance poet Sophia Thakur will be performing during the evening event and the book’s illustrator – Denzell Dankwah – will run drop-in drawing workshops for children throughout the day.
The comic strip-style book includes athlete Dina Asher-Smith, comedian Mo Gilligan, writer Candice Carty-Williams, Great British Bake Off star Liam Charles and footballer Ian Wright.
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
Inside Croydon is a member of the Independent Community News Network- Inside Croydon works together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, as well as BBC London News and ITV London
- ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: Croydon was named the country’s rottenest borough in 2020 in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine – the fourth successive year that Inside Croydon has been the source for such award-winning nominations
- Inside Croydon: 3million page views in 2020. Seen by 1.4million unique visitors
Well I suppose its progress, at last. I trust the heating still works!