BALLARAT Carols by Candlelight will continue uniting the community with song this Christmas at new home, the City Oval on Sunday, 22 December.<\/p>\n
Having been coordinated by church groups for 48 years, the city\u2019s festive event was suddenly cancelled in July due to lacking finances and resources. New not-for-profit, Ballarat Carols by Candlelight Inc. has launched in response, to ensure the tradition lives on.<\/p>\n
President, Matt Hustwaite is leading the organisation with support from some of the city\u2019s theatre production experts, previously behind hit shows Cats<\/em>, Mary Poppins<\/em> and The Boy From Oz<\/em>.<\/p>\n The new event will be in the mould of Melbourne\u2019s Christmas Eve carols, and a strong cast of Ballarat performing artists who have found success at home and on professional stages nationally will come together over the next few months.<\/p>\n This year, the evening will be presented in partnership with Real estate agency Harcourts Ballarat, and the tradition of supporting the 3BA Christmas Appeal will continue. Mr Hustwaite said the iconic local event might be in new hands, but they\u2019re safe and enthusiastic ones.<\/p>\n \u201cLike most people in Ballarat when I saw the news, I had a pretty emotional response. I have two boys, we\u2019re a massive Christmas family, we love the season, and coming together to celebrate as a community at Christmas is something that everyone enjoys.<\/p>\n \u201cCarols by Candlelight is an innately Australian and Victorian tradition, it\u2019s been a cross-generational part of our lives and it\u2019s one of those experiences that\u2019s always there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cTo not have the local opportunity to come together with our neighbours and community, to enjoy the talents of our fellow community members, Christmas wouldn\u2019t feel quite the same. It would leave a hole.\u201d<\/p>\n Having the chance to support the 3BA Christmas Appeal resonated strongly with Mr Hustwaite.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to ensure the families that rely on the appeal can have a good Christmas. I would hate to think of what it must feel like to wake up on Christmas morning, have no presents under the tree, not enough food or blankets, clothes and warmth to enjoy the season,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so important to us to be able to support the appeal and the agencies that benefit like Uniting Ballarat, Anglicare, St Vincent de Paul Society and the Salvation Army.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Hustwaite took action to bring the new group together as soon as the cancellation news broke. They worked the phones and spoke to prospective sponsors and partners.<\/p>\n \u201cOthers on our committee contacted technical experts, musicians and the like, so it was a pretty instantaneous thing to go to council and say, we\u2019re here and ready to go should the churches decide to definitely not proceed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The City of Ballarat gave their support. Mayor, Cr Samantha McIntosh said preserving the carols emphasised the \u201cstrength of our city’s community spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Hustwaite said the council had been \u201cvery kind\u201d to host the event at the City Oval.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will provide a wonderful bit of character with the heritage aspects of the grandstand and lots of trees in that precinct.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be a lovely atmosphere with plenty of room to welcome as many Ballarat people as we can, sitting on picnic rugs, rugging up and enjoying our carols event.\u201d<\/p>\n Director of Harcourts Ballarat, Jason Gigliotti said his business is thrilled to be on board.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an event that has continued to grow and is loved by the families of Ballarat. We have always felt it important to put back into the community with volunteering time and funds to charities and awareness,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen asked if we could support a cause such as this that brings assistance to so many Ballarat families, we certainly wanted to help and do our part.\u201d<\/p>\n