Football legend kicks of Christmas in Woking

24 November 2023

Last night (23 November 2023), Chelsea goal scoring legend, pundit and Assistant England Football Coach, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, was given the honour of turning on the Christmas tree lights in Woking Town Centre in front of hundreds of fans and festive revellers.

Children and adults alike took great delight counting down to the moment that Mr Hasselbaink and the Mayor of Woking, Cllr Ilyas Raja, hit the big red button and lit up the enormous 37ft Norwegian Spruce in the centre of Jubilee Square.

In the run-up to the switch on, there were live musical performances from Acoustic Wood, Demetris Kiliaris, Horsell Village School Choir, Horsell Junior School Choir, Kalyna Choir and Stagecoach Performing Arts – Woking.

Stagecoach student, Lola Jago, bravely returned to the stage to entertain the large crowd as they eagerly awaited Mr Hasselbaink’s arrival. Her pitch-perfect version of Hallelujah, sung acapella, stunned onlookers and inspired fellow student, Eliza Clarke, to follow suit with a cover of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep.

The Leader of Woking Borough Council, Cllr Ann-Marie Barker, said: “I would like to thank everyone involved with the switch on event. The performers were fantastic and filled Jubilee Square with the sounds and spirit of Christmas. I think the countdown was possibly the biggest and loudest one to date thanks to all the Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink fans out there.

“There wouldn’t be a switch on event if it wasn’t for the generosity and connections of the Woking Asian Business Forum, which has once again supplied the magnificent festive centrepiece in Jubilee Square, which we believe to be the biggest Christmas tree in the borough!

“The town centre is looking really lovely this year with all its decorations. There’s lots of fun children’s activities taking place in the shopping centres and the traditional festive market will be in Jubilee Square until the New Year, so please come and spend some time in Woking this Christmas.”