MORE than a dozen Christmas trees sparkling with lights and decorations were around Spreyton Parish Church for the third Christmas Tree Festival, raising funds for the church.

Trees were donated by Mark Bailey and Karen Longworth of Whiddon Down while local businesses or individuals had sponsored decorations for each tree, many being hand made.

The Festival had been organised by Lesley Jewell, chairman of the Friends of St Michael’s Church with Judith Hedley-Dent and other members.

With a theme of Christmas Traditions, each tree showed a different aspect of the season, a card beside each explaining what it was about, created by Heather Pinwill.

Spreyton Shop had decorated its tree with food connected with Christmas such as chestnuts, a rope of cranberries, Brussels sprouts “baubles”.

Spreyton Gardening Club chose gardening for the festive dinner with the history of how potatoes, parsnips and carrots came to this country, as well as the poinsettia.

Spreyton Primary School had chosen the Twelve Days of Christmas with little pictures of each item, all made by the school children.

Spreyton Toddler Group had a tree with big snowflakes, the Bridge Club hung miniature games boards such as Snakes and Ladders or Monopoly from their tree with Scrabble tiles, small playing cards, dice, chess, draughts.

Spreyton Women’s Institute had decorated their tree with lots of white and sparkly angels. This tree had been sponsored by Spreyton Good Companions.

Tots and Teddies, a pre-school who meet at the church on Wednesdays, had made decorations with paper and lots of glitter plus using a few small odd socks and baby bootees hanging from ribbons.

Barbara of Barb’s Hairdressers had made a host of gold angels for a tree decorated by Jenny Lee.

Other tree decorators included Wendy Sincock, Jane and Toby Clark, Ian and Heather Pinwill, Keith and Jane Gallop and Lesley Jewell while the big tree was donated by Viv Bennett.

Refreshments were available on the Friday and Saturday of the Festival. Mulled wine and more refreshments followed the carol service on Sunday evening.

Sue Read