Rufford Christmas Fayre

Encouraged by my daughter, Esther, I helped out running a stall at the Rufford Christmas Fayre at Rufford Country Park. The stall was a mixture of jewellery, cards and photographs. Also assisting us was Esther's friend, Harriet, who had also made a number of jewellery items.

At one stage we were visited by the Mayor and Mayoress who showed a keen interest in all we had produced but, sadl, this did not stretch to a financial investment in our goods. We were also visited by Robin Hood, both male and female, and Friar Tuck.

One thing we could not control was the weather. When we arrived, the rain was constant. As we went through the morning it persisted and was accompanied by some bouts of wind, making life difficult for stall-holders. You can see from this shot how, even when the sun shone, the after-effects of the rain were making life uncomfortable for us.

Because of the weather, attendance was very low, but the experience was good and we learnt many lessons for the next time.

Melton Mowbray Christmas Tree Festival

Each year at St. Mary's Church in melton Mowbray, A Christmas Tree festival is held. Literally hundreds of local organisations participate in this event be exhibiting a tree which either reflects their activity or business or which depicts an aspect of the Christmas story. St. Mary's Church is pack out with trees of all shapes and sizes for several days and money is raised for restoration work on this magnificent church which boasts a long and distinguished tradition.

This tree was entitled 'The Pair Tree' (notice the spelling) and was a cross between Christmas and Noah's Ark. It shows the level of ingenuity exhibited in this festival. Melton Mowbray has a beautiful town centre which hosts a market on Saturdays. Famed for its Pork Pies, Melton Mowbray attracts many seasonal visitors, many of whom flock into the church as part of their pre-Christmas festivities.

Experimenting with the light, I took this photo in the chancel. With camera bag in one hand, tripod in the other and a distinct lack of light, I managed to knock over a candle stand when I had finished taking this shot.

We should be rightly proud of our Christian heritage, especially when it comes to Christmas Time. It is important to maintain the traditions of our faith at a time when pluralism and secularism is urging us to abandon religious practices. After all, Christianity defines us as a nation and our spiritual past has made us who we are today.