Kent Equality Cohesion Council working in partnership with Gravesham Borough Council and local arts organisation Cohesion Plus organised a spectacular lantern parade through Gravesend Town Centre on Friday November 15 to launch the Christmas celebrations. The theme of the Parade was the 12 days of Christmas and 10 local schools and some 500 children took part alongside members of the Christmas Pantomime cast from Beauty and the Beast, Bloco Fogo Samba Group and the Premier Brass Band.

The parade started in the St George’s shopping centre before going onto New Road, Windmill Street then climaxing on the Community Square where a 30 foot Christmas Tree was lit. The Christmas lights in the town centre were lit in stages as the parade walked through.

he Parade was led by the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Derek Sales who was joined by the leader of Gravesham Borough Council Cllr John Burden and local community partners including Kent Equality Cohesion Council and the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara.

Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “We worked very hard with the local schools on the lantern parade and are very proud of what we managed to achieve. The atmosphere in the town centre was excellent and it was so pleasing to see all the diverse communities of Gravesham coming together as one to celebrate the start of the Christmas celebrations in the borough.”