Gran-d plan to revive Christmases past (From thisisoxfordshire)

Gran-d plan to revive Christmases past

2:27pm Thursday 5th November 2009

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A GRANDMOTHER has pledged to bring back the magic of Christmas with the help of Shotover, and some celebrity friends.

Avril Lethbridge, from Summertown, Oxford, believes the youth of today have become disenchanted with the festive season and too obsessed with material things.

So the 77-year-old has devised a plan to inject some fun into Christmas for disadvantaged children in a project called ‘Shotover by Starlight’.

With the help of national children’s charity Kids Out, she plans to deck out parts of the Oxford country park with lights and bring to life the different tales of Christmas from around the world, from the Sugar Plum fairy, from the ballet by Tchaikovsky, and the traditional story of the Nativity.

Mrs Lethbridge, who recently invented a children’s card game based on good manners, said: “For the five days before and the five after Christmas we want everyone from toddlers to grandparents to come and enjoy a stroll through the woods and listen to the trees tell their Christmas stories.

“As Shotover woods were once part of a royal forest, there are magnificent trees to light and glorious glades in which to set our scenes.

“Well known stars of stage, screen and radio are recording the fables and we have a band of volunteers ready to donate their time and expertise.”

As part of her ambitious plan, Mrs Lethbridge plans to turn one of the oak trees in the wood into a ‘candy tree’ decked out with sugar canes, to build an elf hut where elves can be seen at work preparing presents, and for carol singers and drummer boys to play under the cover of the trees.

She has already enlisted the help of Barry Humprhies, the creator of chat show hostess Dame Edna Everage, actress and former Oxford High School pupil Miriam Margolyes, and Adam Macy, star of Radio Four’s rural soap opera The Archers, with more in the pipeline.

But Mrs Lethbridge needs £25,000 to make the dream into reality for hundreds of young people this Christmas. So far she has raised £2,500.

She said: “We are raising money at the moment and have got about a tenth of what we need. We need more help.

“It will be free for disadvantaged children, but open at a reasonable price for families to come along too.

“Times are hard, but we would love people to consider this project in aid of Oxfordshire’s disadvantaged children and the charity Kids Out.

“We want to bring the simple magic of Christmas to all ages and all backgrounds.”

For details on how to donate to Kids Out and Mrs Lethbridge’s project call 01525 243217 or email niz@kidsout.org.uk awilliams@oxfordmail.co.uk