A recruitment drive has been launched to revitalise Barnards Green Traders' Association.

Although the association already exists, the only duties in recent years of members Chris Hunt of Hunts fruiterers and Andrew Brookes of The Cheese Board has been to organise an annual Christmas extravaganza.

However, in the last six weeks the pair have been talking to other shopkeepers to encourage them to revitalise the group, in order to organise village charity fundraising events.

Mr Hunt said: "It came to me that a lot of people have been saying how good it is to shop in Barnards Green. It's got a nice village atmosphere and we felt we should expand on that in the traders' association.

"The main objectives are to put on more fundraising events including the Christmas extravaganza and another one in the summer.

"We want to encourage other shopkeepers to join in and for each shop to do individual in-store promotions to raise money for charity. On the back of that we hope to make people more aware that we are here."

The first of those events will include late night opening on Thursday, December 5, and choirs, bands, street entertainment and a bouncy castle for a Christmas day out on Saturday, December 14.

Local businesses keen to join in or find out more about Barnards Green Traders' Association should call Andrew Brookes on 01684 891900 or Chris Hunt on 01684 567467.