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Chair of Council gives ongoing support to local charities

Cllr Jo Robb is hoping to raise awareness and much-needed funds for one of her chosen charities with help of some magical elves.

The Chair of South Oxfordshire District Council is hosting a puppet show to tell the Brothers Grimm fairy tale The Elves and the Shoemaker, to help support Didcot-based Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire.

The Christmas story tells the tale of a shoemaker, who is curious to discover who is making perfect pairs of shoes each night at his workshop. Ideal for young families, the puppet show starts from 10am on Saturday 27 November in the gallery area at Cornerstone.

After the show, Cornerstone has arranged for a small arts and crafts event for the children attending.

Those attending will be able to find out more about Home-Start and hear from one of their volunteers to help encourage people to get involved with the organisation, which helps families with young children. The charity provides practical, compassionate and non-judgemental support to families through its home-visiting service, where volunteers visit families in their own homes each week. They also run two weekly parent and baby groups and provide one to one support with a skilled Family Support Worker.

Cllr Robb said: “I’m delighted to bring a festive puppet show for young families as well as helping raise funds and awareness for Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire. 

“One of my main aims during my time as Chair of the Council is to encourage residents to get involved with local charities.  Home-Start needs volunteers so they can keep providing vital emotional and practical support for our local families.”

Doreen McNulty, Chair of Trustees at Home-start Southern Oxfordshire, said “We’re very pleased to have the support of Cllr Robb and the district council. We’re always looking for volunteers to help us provide home-visiting support to local families. If anyone has a few hours spare each week, it would help us enormously so we can continue to help those families most in need.”

Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire is looking for volunteers that can give a few hours each week. Anyone interested in volunteering for Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire can find out more via homestart-southernoxfordshire.org.uk or email admin@homestartso.org

Tickets for The Elves and the Shoemaker on 27 November cost £2 each or £5 for a family of four via Cornerstone’s box office or telephone 01235 515144.