Festive fun and Father Christmas at Winter Fair this weekend

There will be an array of stalls from both outside traders and local groups. There will be plenty of Christmas gifts to choose from with over 50 stalls selling items from jams, chutneys and Christmas decorations to a range of handmade gifts from various local and talented craft people.

Father Christmas will be there all day to meet the children, and there will be a Purple Bouncy Castle supplied by Bounce About Sussex, to keep the children amused.

Steyning art students, from the Art Enterprise Group will be selling some lovely handmade cards made by them from recycled Art. Ms Hannah Cole, Steyning Grammar School Art Teacher and Adult Leader of the group said: “Students sometimes do not collect their artwork, so it is kept for a year and then if uncollected we are able to re-create the artworks into greetings cards.

“This way the artwork can be re-purposed and not wasted. The other benefit is that it raises funds for our June Art Exhibition so that we can smarten up the display boards, frame certain works and generally make a good show.”

There will be live music provided by a number of gifted Steyning Music Students and once again we will have some fabulous food and festive refreshments available with mulled wine, mince pies and lots of lovely cakes.

You will be able to win or bid for some great prizes in our Auction, Grand Prize Draw and Tombola, all prizes have once again been given by the school, local community and local businesses.

The Heritage Quilt Project will have all the quilt panels and pieces on display on the day for everyone to see in the school Learning Resource Centre. This is a community project to produce five quilts in celebration of the school’s 400th anniversary year.

Mrs Amanda Duke, Head of Facility for Creative and Performing Arts at Steyning Grammar School and Project Manager of the Heritage Quilt Project said: “We are delighted to be at the Christmas Fair and hope that people will take the opportunity to come and view the quilts on display. There are still some pieces we would like to produce that are on our quilt ‘wish list’ so we are hoping that people will sign up for future workshops and ‘Sew In’ dates”

There is plenty of free parking available at the school and behind Steyning Leisure Centre. Everyone is welcome; admission is £1 which includes a free cup of tea or coffee. Students and children are free.

This event is organised by the Friends of Steyning Grammar School, a group of people that organise events to raise funds to benefit the school and ultimately the pupils.

Mr Crawford Murray, Chairman of the Friends of Steyning Grammar School said: “We always get a great deal of support from the local community and we would like to thank everyone that has donated in support of this excellent school and community event.

“Last year the event was a great success raising over £7000, with community support again this year we are hoping to do the same if not better. ”

This is a great family day out with lots for everyone to enjoy. For further enquiries including stall bookings please call Vanessa Sutterlin on 07973 623893 or email [email protected] or visit www.facebook.com/FoSGS/events

For details of the Heritage Quilt Project please contact Project Manager Amanda Duke on 01903 814555 or email [email protected]