Pantomimes and fairies at St Michael's for tree festival

ARTISTRY, imagination, ingenuity '“ and not a little humour '“ are combined in the second Christmas Tree Festival to be staged in St Michael's Church.

Outside, scaffolding stands mute witness to the fact that the church is always in need of funds.

The roof is undergoing repair. Temporary planking over the entrance steps demonstrates the need for permanent disabled access.

Inside, volunteers from 26 different church-based groups have produced a wonderland on the theme of "Pantomimes and Fairies."

Each group has been responsible for decorating a tree. Each has found its own answers to the conundrum of how to illustrate their chosen theme to best advantage.

The festival runs daily until Monday with a mulled wine late-night sessionon Friday evening '“ plenty of time to catch a fund-raising event which offers spectacle aplenty for young and old alike.

And jars await the donations of those delighted to have been whisked back to their childhood.

For the organisers, the Rev David King and his wife Hilary, Jan Sparkes and Ian Fishwick, a process which started with the germ of an idea during last year's ground-breaking festival culminated in a creative process which stretched from Saturday afternoon to the moment the doors opened to the public on Wednesday.

"We are on our knees..." said Jan at the opening.

"We have been down, come up and gone down again!" corrected Hilary.

But as David replaced a recalcitrant Cinderella on her tree-top perch for the umpteenth time, all three were wreathed in smiles that said: "We've got there!"

Hilary said: "A lot of people have put a lot of hard work into it before they even got here.

"Last night were here, three or four of us, and we had to turn off the lights in the church to really look at the trees and we all went 'Oooh!'"

Team effort included the King's four children working away on the Vicarage's contribution '“ The Nutcracker.

This straddles the aisle '“ The Land of Snow to the south, The Land of Sweets to the north and flying between the two an origami bird.

A festival which starts at the door with Ian Fishwick's archway tree and Jan Sparkes' Babes In The Wood, progresses to a be-jewelled Aladdin's Cave under the stairs thanks to St Peter's Flower Guild.

Children's faces peer from St Michael's Toddler Group's Snow White offering; tasty morsels from East Bexhill Ladies' Club's The Gingerbread Man.

Reg James invited e-mails To Neverland. The responses range from good wishes from the Bishop of Lewes to those of town MP Gregory Barker.

More gingerbread men are to be found above the gingerbread-cottage of the Mothers' Union's Hansel And Gretel tree.

Glaring from the branches of the Tuesday Keep Fit Group's Red Riding Hood tree is the face of the Wolf. Grandmother is safely at the foot of the tree...

Quotations, roses, the White Rabbit, Lynne and Rosalyn Putland's tree '“ rooted firmly in a giant top hat '“ can only be Alice In Wonderland.

The All Age God's Half Hour group use tinsel to effect with Beauty And The Beast whole Pebsham School pupils have produced many articulated puppet figures for Baboushka '“ plus a jack-in-the-box.

The evil Captain Hook scales Edna Akam's Peter Pan tree, but Pan and the children are flying high.

Women On Thursday illustrate Cinderella complete with cinders, rags and mouse.

A spangled beanstalk weaves its way up Arthur C. Towner Ltd's tree, topped by the giant in his castle.

Sue Crick returns to the Cinderella theme with a well-lit white tree complete with broomstick, pumpkin, wand and tiara.

Hand-knitted figures grace the Nan Wilding Day Centre's Snow White concoction with its dwarves, picks and shovels and mirror.

The 11th Bexhill Brownies have been busy. Their Little Mermaid is at home among their sea-horses, shells and fish.

Third Bexhill Scout Group GSL Brian Thomas' visage looks out over the group's Ali Baba, a tree with slippers, treasure boxes and cartoon characters.

The Junior Church have gone for a white tree with flashing lights, their own illustrations telling the story of Sleeping Beauty.

Hand-made lamps, camels and stars are the work of St Mary's School pupils in Aladdin while the Flower Guild's Snow Queen is blessed with an iced mirror lake and all-white sleigh.

Ruth and Mick Gregory have built a hut and a fire for Robinson Crusoe and thoughtfully provided him with with a flag pole and flag marked "Help."

Bexhill Arts Club's Fairyland has a fairy peeping out from among the stars.

"All will be revealed on the last day" proclaims the notice on the Vestry Sewing Guild's The Emperor's New Clothes.

The Cowardly Lion is just setting a paw on the church cleaners' Yellow Brick Road but Tin Man and Dorothy well on the way to meet The Wizard Of Oz.

Humour marks the Sabotier Clog Dancing Group's Beanstalk. Jack is well on the way to the top. But Santa is saying: "I'm sorry but you've picked the wrong beanstalk."

But there is no mistake about this Christmas tree festival. From font to altar and back it is adventure all the way.