Hundreds of turkey sandwiches were served with tea, coffee and mulled wine to visitors who flocked to the Ripon Cathedral Christmas Gift and Food Fair.
The popular event raised a huge £38,500 towards the music, heritage conservation and education programme at the Cathedral and featured a hundred stalls of seasonal gifts and food.
Local music groups entertained the crowds, including Featherstone Male Voice Choir, Jervaulx Singers, Knot Another Choir, Skelldale Singers, Prima Musica, Aysgarth Prep School, Boroughbridge High School, David Powling and Emily and Adrian Roberts.
Dean John Dobson said: “The event marks the start of the Christmas celebrations for the local community, it was wonderful to see so many families both inside the cathedral and shopping in the city. “The event could not take place without the help of so many volunteers, and we are truly grateful to everyone who helped on the day.”
“A huge thank you to one of our volunteers Freda Bottomley, her team and the clergy who raised a record £2,392 selling raffle tickets; the volunteers who baked so many wonderful Christmas cakes and who helped on the day; local Ripon businesses - Hemingway’s, Cocked Hat Farm Foods, Valentinos, Morrisons. Everyone worked so hard and helped in so many different ways to make sure the event was a huge success.”