Sandwell Youth Services and CAN <UK> worked with youth groups all over Sandwell during October  2007 to create a community lantern procession event on Saturday November 3rd. Over 150 young people were involved in lantern making workshops around the borough in their centres as well ‘ big construction’ workshops at the Coneygre Centre during half term.

The ‘Moonchaser’ procession was a spectacular parade with over 100 lanterns wafting through West Bromwich Town Centre in a magical river of light. Town centre visitors and passing cars stopped to applaud the parade as it wound its way through the streets. Their mission - to bring the ‘light’ to the bonfire in Dartmouth Park and chase the moon along the way.

Once in the park we found a gigantic moon and sun which joined the lanterneers in a euphoric walk around the massive bonfire in front of an audience of over 15 thousand people.  We used ‘We’re all equal under the stars’ as our overall theme as a way of  demonstrating and celebrating  the diversity of people in Sandwell and the way in which we can all work together in friendship.