Thousands of people – and real reindeer – turned out for a Christmas fundraiser for St Luke’s Hospice last weekend.

The two-day Christmas Fundraising Weekend at Festival Leisure Park raised over £2,000 for the Basildon and Thurrock charity.

Schools from all over Essex also battled it out in a Choir Competition, with £500 up for grabs for the winning school, courtesy of Festival Leisure Park.

St Peter’s RC Primary School in Billericay won with their medley of traditional seasonal songs.

Visitors enjoyed shopping stalls with Christmas gifts and goodies for sale, tombolas, raffles, festive music, a Santa’s Grotto, real reindeer and fairground rides and games.

Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private from Penguins of Madagascar met fans and danced to the Macarena, Cha Cha Slide and movie favourite I Love to Move It.

Peter Scopes, Facilities Manager at Festival Leisure Park, said “We were thrilled to be host to St. Luke’s Christmas Weekend at Festival Leisure Park this year.”

Anita Pease, Community Fundraiser at St. Luke’s Hospice, said “St. Luke’s Hospice would like to thank everyone at Festival Leisure Park and the hospice volunteer team who worked so hard to make the weekend such a success.”

St Luke’s Hospice works to provide high standards of care for people with specialist palliative care needs within the Basildon & Thurrock districts.