Christmas: Make a date for East Anglia’s biggest – and best – festive fair

It’s East Anglia’s biggest Christmas fair and raises tens of thousands for charity every year: Presents Galore is the ultimate feel-good festive event, as media partner Velvet reports

An opportunity to shop more than 120 food, drink and gift stalls and raise funds for three great local causes at the same time, Presents Galore is the ultimate feel-good Christmas fair - and it returns to Newmarket this month!

Running at the town’s world-famous Rowley Mile Racecourse from November 24 to 26, the three-day shopping extravaganza has been an annual fixture for thirty years, raising £60,000 for charities in 2022 alone.

Along with stalls selling everything from clothes, jewellery and accessories to homeware, toys and gadgets, the event is known for its festive spirit - think twinkling fairy lights, carols, mulled wine and mince pies.

A proportion of traders change every year, so, alongside the perennial favourites, there’s always something new to browse and buy. And, with an emphasis on showcasing local and independent brands, it’s a chance to support small businesses, too.

With all proceeds, including 100% of ticket sales, going directly to the charities, the 2023 event is supporting the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital, the first in the world to integrate mental and physical healthcare; the National Horseracing Museum, which charts and conserves the history of the sport; and Newmarket Charitable Foundation, which delivers projects designed to help both the place and its people thrive.

Book now! Adult tickets are priced £8 in advance online, £10 on the door and £6 for Blue Light Card holders (ID required). Under-16s are free with an accompanying adult. Tickets can be purchased via presentsgalore.org or by visiting the National Horseracing Museum Gift Shop, found on Palace Street, Newmarket.

Reasons to Give
Presents Galore is supporting three local charities this year. Here’s why they deserve our support. . .

Cambridge Children’s Hospital
Cambridge Children’s Hospital will be a new hospital for the East of England, currently the only region in the UK without a dedicated children’s hospital. It will be the first in the world to integrate mental and physical healthcare, underpinned by world leading research, and will have a life-changing impact on millions of children and young people regionally, nationally and globally.
“We are delighted to be one of Presents Galore’s beneficiary charities again this year,” say Dr Rob Heuschkel and Dr Cathy Walsh, clinical leads for Cambridge Children's Hospital. “Last year’s event was a great success and we are incredibly grateful for the generous donation to, and support of, our Cambridge Children’s Hospital campaign. Presents Galore is a fantastic event for the region and we look forward to working together again on this year’s event.
“The new Cambridge Children's Hospital will enable us to treat the 1.5 million children and young people in the East of England in a whole new way, integrating mental and physical healthcare and having a life-changing impact. We are raising £100 million in philanthropy and fundraising to enable us to build this state-of-the-art hospital which will provide exceptional care, underpinned by world-leading research from the University of Cambridge.”
Find out more at cambridgechildrens.org.uk

Newmarket Charitable Foundation
The Newmarket Charitable Foundation was formed with a simple vision – to help create a thriving town for the whole community. Built upon the foundations created by the team that drove the Newmarket Festival’s fundraising activities, the current committee is now expanding those activities to fund and facilitate high-impact projects to help improve and develop Newmarket for the benefit of everyone in the town.
Says Dr David Hall, executive director of the Newmarket Charitable Foundation: “The Newmarket Charitable Foundation is truly delighted to become one of the beneficiaries of Presents Galore. This provides a fabulous opportunity to generate funds which we can then redistribute as grants to those that desperately need support across the town.”
Current projects include the development of a sports hub, establishing a community cinema and installing fitness facilities on George Lambton Playing Fields, as well as supporting many existing clubs and organisations with grants and funding where eligible.
Find out more at newmarketcharity.org

National Horseracing Museum
The National Horseracing Museum is an important part of the horseracing industry. As well as telling the story of horseracing from its earliest origins to the global phenomenon it is today, the museum contains stunning works of art, science and breeding galleries, and some of the world’s most famous racing trophies and unique bronzes and artefacts.
The recent Mutiny in Colour contemporary art exhibition, which ran from June across three museums in Suffolk, was a huge success, encouraging many more to visit the museum and see the work it carries out.
Hon. Frances Stanley, chairman of the National Horseracing Museum board, says: “We are thrilled to be supporting the running of Presents Galore again for 2023. This outstanding charity fundraiser regularly produces £60,000 annually, to be distributed between its lucky beneficiaries. We hope that everyone will think to come along for all their Christmas shopping on November 24.”
Find out more at nhrm.co.uk