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Neighbours’ advent windows a u o y h s i w e W help children’s charity funds s a m t s i r h
Merry C
By Owen Hughes
REINDEER, Oxford’s dreaming spires and even a Star Wars-themed nativity scene have all appeared in the windows of a north Abingdon neighbourhood in a bid to raise funds for charity. The 24 homes along South Avenue are revealing their individually designed advent window decorations one day at a time in the lead up to Christmas as they try to reach a £100 Just Giving target for Helen & Douglas House. The campaign has been organised by Ann Phillips, a self-employed beautician and network marketing coach, who said: “I got the idea from my friend in Stanton Harcourt who asked me to help with her snowman for their advent window, and I thought ‘why can’t we do that here?’ “I knocked on the doors all down our road and got a really good response and most of them wanted to join in. “It’s a great way of bringing the community together. People are talking to each other and quite often at around 4pm people are walking up and down the road to see which house is next.” Each house at their turn to draw back the curtain will also display a board outside asking for donations to Helen & Douglas House. The collection is in memory of Molly Beatrice Gibbard, who died in 2006 when she was just 10 months old after being born with heart and lung disease.
Molly’s father, Steve Gibbard, said: “It’s nice that people want to keep fundraising for Molly and when it’s other people doing it, not even family but neighbours and friends, it’s just really special. We would have been lost without Helen & Douglas House and they still support us now.” Mr Gibbard fundraises for the charity every year and estimates he has so far raised around £45,000. He added that he and his two sons, aged six and nine, have “walked up and down the road and had a look around at all the windows, but I do like the Star Wars one, that’s probably my favourite”. South Avenue residents will raise a glass of mulled wine and enjoy a mince pie together on the 24th when all of the seasonal window designs will be on display. Ann hopes to repeat the campaign again next year with more houses taking part. Donations can be made at www. ju st g i v i ng .c om /sout h avenue christmaswindows.
All white on the night in teachers’ panto AN Abingdon school put on a pantomime to remember in front of a packed audience of students and parents. Teachers and staff at Fitzharrys Secondary School donned their silliest frocks and wigs for their
twist on a classic Christmas panto performing Snow White and the Seven Vertically Challenged People. Headteacher Jonathan Dennett, who played Dopey, said: “The audience were great,
joining in from the very start, cheering and booing – in the right places – all the way through.” ■ Turn to page 12 to see another way in which Fitzharrys embraced the festive season.
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