POSTCARDS are usually sent by holiday-makers but dozens of celebrities have sent an Oxford charity slightly unusual messages.

Family Links, based in Bobby Fryer Close, Blackbird Leys, has nearly 100 postcards from celebrities saying what family means to them.

From a scribbled message to a quick doodle, the likes of Kylie Minogue, Tom Jones and David Mitchell have sent in their thoughts over the past six months.

The postcards will be auctioned off next month in a special event to raise money for Family Links.

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The charity helps struggling families improve their relationships and help children to develop better social skills.

Its trainer and fundraiser, Emily Bruce, said: “The celebrities have all done lots of different things on their postcards.

“The comedian David Mitchell has drawn a Christmas tree, because family makes him think of Christmas, and the Prime Minister, David Cameron, got his daughter to draw a picture, which was very sweet.”

Any postcards that are not auctioned off at the December 4 event will be sold on online auction site eBay.

Miss Bruce said: “The money is all going towards running our training sessions.

“We train people to go out and work with families in the community, and we also work with schools.

“They work with parents on how best to raise their children, using things like positive discipline and praise.”

As well as the celebrities, 700 schoolchildren from Blackbird Leys Academy schools and the Dragon School drew their own postcards about family.

Four winners – one from each school – will be announced by the charity’s patron, Pointless host Alexander Armstrong, at the auction.

Blackbird Academy Trust spokeswoman Ellie Danby said: “We work really closely with Family Links. Their approach underpins everything for the academy.

“It seems like a really lovely project to do with them.”

Pegasus Primary School pupil Jasper Cansell, eight, said: “When I wrote about my family it was fun. You could tell people about what your family is like and you could see how other families are different.”

Seven-year-old Cameron Coggins-Hulbert added: “I had to think carefully because there were loads of things I wanted to write but there was only a little bit of space.”

The auction will be at The Story Museum at 5pm. Tickets cost £15 and can be bought online at familylinks.org.uk

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