CHRISTMAS fairs provided festive fun this weekend while raising funds for a Worcester church and protecting the county’s precious wildlife.

The Worcestershire Wildlife Trust held its fair at Lower Smite Farm near Worcester on Saturday.

The fair, held in restored farm buildings including a barn, hay loft and dairy, drew in around 350 people.

Visitors browsed the 22 stalls or took part in a Christmas trail around the garden, orchard and surrounding woodland. The trail is a new addition to the fair this year where families had the chance to learn about the benefits trees provide for wildlife, including for squirrels, owls, foxes and hedgehogs.

An assortment of cakes was provided by Worcester-based Be the Change Foods and G&Tea.

Stalls included handmade cards by Dora Bodley, Cats Whiskers Crafts by Barbara Preston and Flynn Woodcrafts with Pat Flynn and wife Ann.

Wendy Carter, the trust’s communication leader, said it was one of their best fundraisers, bringing in around £1,000 from the sale of cakes, Christmas cards, calenders and gift boxes.

Reception staff spent weeks creating paper chains to decorate the fair and, aside from some of the decorations, the fair was plastic-free.

Attracting interest from buyers were the bird boxes, hedgehog houses and coasters made from reclaimed wood and donated by Chris Potter.

The Christmas Market in St George’s Church in Barbourne, Worcester, was also held on Saturday and was expected to raise around £1,200 for the church.

There were around 20 stalls with visitors tucking into mince pies, browsing for cards and decorations or enjoying mulled wine as children visited Father Christmas in his grotto. Between 200 and 300 people were expected to have attended the market with a greater emphasis on crafts this year.

Lay minster Judy Morris said: “It’s about creating an atmosphere. It’s very much a community event. You can see different generations coming together.”

Patricia Owen of Kipepeo Cushions was selling hand-made cushions which were created using bin end or end of roll fabric that would normally go to landfill. She was selling them to raise funds for The Kenya Trust, a charity of which she is the secretary.