Cornwall


<p>The annual <a href="https://www.cornwallchristmasfair.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornwall Christmas Fair</a>, hosted in the sparkling surroundings of the Eden Project, also raises funds for Cornwall Community Foundation. Muddy caught up with Kate Holborrow and Jane Hartley, co-chairs of the Cornwall Christmas Fair to hear more about the event, their work, and why the funds raised are so important.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="689" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-CCF-Committee-1000x689.jpg" alt="CCF Christmas Fair Eden Nov 2025 Muddy Stilettos Cornwall CCF Committee" class="wp-image-39089" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-CCF-Committee-1000x689.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-CCF-Committee-800x551.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-CCF-Committee-768x529.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-CCF-Committee.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-the-cornwall-christmas-fair-begin">How did the Cornwall Christmas Fair begin?</h2>



<p>K: It was my mother’s idea (Lady Mary Holborow). Back in the early nineties, after seeing first-hand the amazing Macmillan nurses who looked after her great friend Charlotte Galsworthy she decided, with a group of friends, to host an event in her memory for Macmillan Cancer Support on 31 October 1991. Kitty Galsworthy, Charlotte’s daughter-in-law, is now on the committee as vice-chair. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/11/stallholders.jpeg" alt="stallholders Cornwall Christmas Fair Eden" class="wp-image-28783" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/11/stallholders.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/11/stallholders-800x534.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/11/stallholders-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/11/stallholders-787x525.jpeg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-has-the-fair-changed">How has the fair changed?</h2>



<p>J: We moved it to Eden 12 years ago, really thanks again to Kate’s mum, who was an extraordinary visionary – a Holborow trait.</p>



<p>K: My company, Wild Card, was doing the PR for Eden, and we were talking about Eden being the village hall for Cornwall. We knew the fair wanted more space.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="677" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Eden-Christmas-Fair-Nov-2025-1000x677.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-39092" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Eden-Christmas-Fair-Nov-2025-1000x677.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Eden-Christmas-Fair-Nov-2025-800x542.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Eden-Christmas-Fair-Nov-2025-768x520.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Eden-Christmas-Fair-Nov-2025.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>J: Kate came on board and said you’re missing a trick, you’ve got no sponsors. We never had any financial sponsors until then – it had always been a social event in&nbsp;Cornwall&nbsp;and good for people to be involved with.&nbsp;</p>



<p>K: And since 2019 all funds raised have gone to the charity&nbsp;Cornwall&nbsp;Community Foundation, which means it goes to lots of different causes in the county, helping communities to thrive.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-fair-raised-a-fantastic-68-000-for-cornwall-community-foundation-last-christmas-how-do-you-do-it">The fair raised a fantastic £68,000 for Cornwall Community Foundation last Christmas. How do you do it?</h2>



<p>J: The fair had always raised between fifteen and twenty thousand pounds. Then when we moved to Eden in 2013, Kate said ‘we can get to fifty (thousand)’!</p>



<p>K: Every time we talk about the fair, the first thing we say is that we have the most incredible committee, all working very hard and all volunteers. It has grown over the years, and we now have a very professional committee with a range of great skills.</p>



<p>J: We now do things like a cocktail hour, Christmas cakes, Christmas jumpers – we are always trying to evolve and make more money for those people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly who need the help.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Christmas-jumpers-committee-CCF-Eden-1000x750.jpg" alt="Christmas jumpers committee CCF Eden" class="wp-image-39091" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Christmas-jumpers-committee-CCF-Eden-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Christmas-jumpers-committee-CCF-Eden-800x600.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Christmas-jumpers-committee-CCF-Eden-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/Christmas-jumpers-committee-CCF-Eden.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Committee wearing Rodda’s Pre-loved Christmas jumpers</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-you-most-excited-about-at-this-year-s-fair">What are you most excited about at this year’s fair?</h2>



<p>K: Our new Rodda’s Pre-loved Christmas jumpers stand.</p>



<p>J: We’re going to have much <a href="https://www.edenproject.com/visit/whats-on/christmas-at-the-eden-project?">larger Christmas lights</a> – they will be spectacular. Make sure you go into the Mediterranean biome (where we eat supper, below) and look around. </p>



<p>People don’t always realise that a day ticket to the fair also gives you access to the whole of the Eden Project.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-128-1000x667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-39088" style="aspect-ratio:1.4992503748125936;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-128-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-128-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-128-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-128.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mediterranean biome at The Eden Project</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-the-fair-unique">What makes the fair unique?</h2>



<p>J: The glitter of the night – the Christmas lights. And we don’t just let stallholders come and sell. The stalls team researches and sees items beforehand to make sure they’re special and there’s a loose rule that stalls generally can’t do more than two years in a row so as to keep it interesting for the guests at the fair. Eden also produces really delicious food for us (the preview evening dinner on Weds 19<sup> </sup>Nov and lunch on Thurs 20 Nov) so it’s a very social occasion. </p>



<p>K: In 2017 my mother died, and we had the biomes lit in her memory. Ever since, different sponsors – this year Wildanet – have enabled us to light the biomes, and Eden makes it all look beautifully twinkly.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="730" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/XmasFayre24-167-1000x730.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-39090" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/XmasFayre24-167-1000x730.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/XmasFayre24-167-800x584.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/XmasFayre24-167-768x560.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/XmasFayre24-167-1536x1121.jpg 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/XmasFayre24-167-2048x1495.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-best-presents-you-have-found-at-the-cornwall-christmas-fair">What are the best presents you have found at the Cornwall Christmas Fair? </h2>



<p>J: Sometimes they become Christmas presents for yourself! Do you remember those beautiful suede coats in the early days? We all bought cow hide bags one year and I have a pink silk shirt that reminds me of the fair every time I wear it. I also absolutely love my Paul Jackson jug that I purchased last year for myself – it sits in pride of place in my kitchen. And thank goodness for the fair for stocking fillers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>K: Lots of lovely chunky jewellery, lovely silk scarves and lacquer trays. Paul Jackson jugs, plus all our dogs have collars from the fair.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="716" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-171-1000x716.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-39087" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-171-1000x716.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-171-800x573.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-171-768x550.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/11/CCF-Christmas-Fair-Eden-Nov-2025-Muddy-Stilettos-Cornwall-XmasFayre24-171.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-your-favourite-part-of-each-fair">What is your favourite part of each fair?</h2>



<p>K: I love the preview evening when people arrive – all the socialising. You put on your Christmas kit. And Jane and I go shopping together each year and help each other with ideas.</p>



<p>J: We love seeing everyone. We work hard largely independently all year so it’s so fun to see everybody together having a good time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-would-lady-mary-holborow-say-if-she-could-see-the-fair-now">What would Lady Mary Holborow say if she could see the fair now?</h2>



<p>K: She’d be so thrilled about it and really pleased that Kitty Galsworthy and Pix Ashworth are taking over next year as co-chairs with us as vice-chairs. She would see that as giving strong continuity for the future and appreciate the connection between Kitty and her friend Charlotte. </p>



<p>J: She knew them both and would be over the moon, as we both are.</p>



<p><em><strong>Christmas jumper donations can be dropped off at the Cornwall Community Foundation Bodmin offices (17 Callywith Gate, Bodmin PL31 2RQ) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays or contact Jenny Pickles (07956 470451). Jumper donations are also welcome at the Fair.   </strong></em></p>



<p><em>The Cornwall Community Foundation helps communities in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly by awarding small grants to grassroots, front line, volunteer-led organisations who are making a positive impact in their area, helping to overcome these challenges of disadvantage, exclusion and poverty for all ages.</em></p>



<p>The annual Cornwall Christmas Fair is hosted in the sparkling surroundings of the Eden Project. Head to the Eden Link Building nestled between the two Biomes which will be transformed into a glittering Christmas market, complete with up to 70 independent stalls from within Cornwall and beyond, as well as a diverse range of artisan food and drink produce in the Food Hall. Pre-booking tickets is essential. £32 / £20 (<a href="https://www.cornwallchristmasfair.com/tickets">tickets here</a>).</p>



<p><a href="https://www.cornwallchristmasfair.com/"><strong><em>cornwallchristmasfair.com</em></strong></a></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/xmas/a-very-cornish-christmas/">How to celebrate a very Cornish Christmas and where to stay nearby</a></li>



<li><a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/this-month/whats-on-november-cornwall/">What’s On? Your guide to Cornwall in November</a></li>



<li><a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/latest-news/foodie-news-cornwall-michelin-guide-this-month/">November Superflash – your latest news from Cornwall this month</a></li>
</ul>


Muddy Meets: Kate Holborow and Jane Hartley, Cornwall Christmas Fair

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