Clr Bilal El-hayek Message……The Christmas countdown is well and truly on.

With less than a month to go, our City is preparing to welcome in the festive season with colour, song and a sprinkling of Christmas magic.
And there is a lot to get excited about!
I’ll be warming up my vocals, and encourage you all to do the same, as we belt out everyone’s favourite Christmas songs at Carols in the Park on Saturday 2 December.
Council has lit up Christmas trees across our City while residents are decorating their homes and hanging out their lights to compete in our Christmas Lights Competition.
Our business community is also getting involved with a number of stall holders participating in our exciting brand-new Christmas Village Markets at Bankstown and Campsie.
It’s a joyous time of the year, but we should never lose sight of the importance of spending quality time with our families and giving back to the community.
Whether it’s donating food or clothes to a charity, volunteering your time or even supporting small businesses, every little bit helps and can make someone’s Christmas wish come true.
But with the ever-increasing cost of living, it’s no surprise that Christmas can also be a stressful time of year.
The stark reality is that there are many children who will go without receiving a gift this year. There are families doing it tough who simply cannot afford new toys or to splash out on a feast.
My annual Mayoral Toy Drive is one way we can all contribute and put another toy in Santa’s sack.
You can drop off your toys at our Customer Service and Library and Knowledge Centres before Wednesday 13 December.
Let’s do our bit to make this Christmas special for everyone. For more information on how to donate, visit cb.city/MayoralToyDrive

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