The Friends of Ottery St Mary Parish Church are staging a Christmas Tree Festival in the Parish Church from Wednesday 23rd November and closing after the Advent Carol Service on Sunday 27th November. The Festival will be open from 10.30am to 4.30pm Wednesday to Saturday and from 12.00noon to 4.30pm on Sunday. Admission free.

Carol Bennett, Secretary to the Friends and organiser of the Festival reports that organisations, clubs and various groups within Ottery had been invited to place trees in the church and a good response had been received. Local businesses and traders have, through Ottery Chamber of Commerce, been invited to take part.

Research shows that many Festivals are run as a competition with all types of categories being thought up. As our Festival is the first of its kind to take place here Carol and her sub-committee decided to keep matters very simple and uncomplicated. Therefore we hope to have lots of visitors who will enjoy the beauty of the fresh Christmas Trees, and the ingenuity and originality of the individual organisations in the way they have decorated their tree. Entry to the Festival is free but donations will be gratefully received. All proceeds of the Festival will go to Friends of Ottery St Mary Church.

Should anyone have missed the “net” and would like to take part please contact Carol on 01404 812031 and if there are still places available she will try to fit you in.