Bloxham Christmas Tree Festival, which runs from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th December 2021, has in recent years become a major community event in the village. It involves some 40 village organisations and raises funds for the Friends of St Mary's (of which I am Chair), whose purpose is the preservation and beautification of St Mary's Church Bloxham, one of the finest parish churches in the country.

The current focus of the Friends' fundraising is St Mary's "Building our Future" project, which aims to make the magnificent church building more practical and usable for everyone, by upgrading facilities and carrying out important restoration work. The Festival itself creates a stunning spectacle, with St Mary's full of imaginatively decorated Christmas trees. There are children's activities, refreshments, prayer and memorial trees, and the opportunity to vote for the "People's Choice". A choral concert takes place on the Saturday evening and a Festival service on the Sunday evening.

Your donations towards this important community venture are a significant strand of fundraising and will be much appreciated. For any queries about the Festival contact ian_myson@hotmail.com