Christmas concert

The Highworth Choral Society Christmas Concert will be held on Saturday at 7.30pm in St Michael's Church.

The Society will be performing excerpts from the Bach Christmas Oratorio along with carols and seasonal songs. There will be mulled wine and mince pies.

Tickets at £4 are available from the Lighthouse Bookshop, members of the Society or Gwen Stokes, secretary, on (01793) 764376.

Craft workshops

Taster sessions for new workshops will be held in Warneford School this Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

The sessions mark the start of new ten-week courses starting in Highworth in January.

Held at the Methodist Church Hall, the taster event will include watercolour painting for absolute beginners or those wanting inspiration, taught by artist Irene Brain.

There will also be a session on jewellery making, using new and old beads. The tutor is a professional jewellery maker who sells much of her beautiful work in London and has taught at the Brewery Arts Centre in Cirencester.

Other sessions include picture framing, soft furnishing, Christmas wreaths, natural Christmas decorations and self-defence for women.

The courses take place on Monday afternoons from 1pm to 3pm and on Tuesday evenings from 7pm to 9pm in Warneford School.

To enroll or for further information, call the Swindon College freephone 0800 731 2250.

Lions Club

The Highworth and District Lions Club will be holding a race night tomorrow at 7.30pm in St Michael's Church Hall, Lechlade Road.

Tickets are from the charity shop of Frieda Cox on (01793) 763237. At £3 they include a Jockeys' Supper and there will also be a bar. All profits will go to the Prospect Hospice.

A new record of 744 shoeboxes has been made in the Highworth area this year as part of Operation Christmas Child.

Organisers have received many beautiful boxes that will be treasured by the children receiving them. Nearly 1,000 knitted hats were collected. In addition, coffee mornings were held to boost the funds.

The Lighthouse Bookshop acted as an information and collecting point and The Rec supported the event by being the main drop-off point.

The boxes will be collected from the Melksham warehouse ready for the journey to Eastern Europe.

Mobile dental unit

The mobile dental unit, which visits Highworth every week, is proving to be beneficial to local people. The Dental Access Centre offers a range of NHS dental treatment.

The mobile unit is situated in the Methodist Church carpark every Monday from 9.30am to 12.15pm and from 1.15pm to 4pm. For further details, contact practice manager Helen Simmonds on (01793) 428579.

Tabletop sale

A tabletop sale in aid of the Prospect Foundation will be held on Saturday from 10am to noon in the council community room.

There will be toys, Christmas decorations, books, tombola and bric-a-brac. Refreshments will be available and admission is free.

Rambling Club

The Highworth Rambling Club has organised a six-mile walk of Duntisbourne on Sunday. Those interested should meet leader Paul Speller at 9.30am in the library carpark and bring a packed lunch.

Yoga session

A session on Yoga for Fitness will be held in The Rec on Saturday from 9.30am to noon. For more information or to enroll call freephone 0800 731 2250.

Pre-school playgroup

The Highworth Pre-School Playgroup is holding a Christmas fair on Saturday from 2pm to 4.30pm in the school in Newburgh Place.

Admission is 50p for adults, which will include a glass of mulled wine and mince pies.

Children are allowed in free. There will be a bookstall, crafts, tombola and mask making.

Neighbourhood Watch

A meeting of the Highworth Neighbourhood Watch will be held on Tuesday at 7.30pm in the Youth and Community Centre, Newburgh Place.

Following a short business meeting, there will be a Christmas social evening where co-ordinators and watch members can meet during a bring and share.

New members are always welcome. For details contact Pat Willis on (01793) 763967.

Highworth Afternoon WI

The Highworth Afternoon Women's Institute is holding a coffee morning in St Michael's Church Room on Saturday from 10am to noon. There will be a bring and buy stall and a raffle.

Camera Club

The Highworth Camera Club welcomed Fulbrook Camera Club to its November meeting.

Howard Warren from Cirencester judged 20 slides from each of the clubs in the annual competition.

The Fulbrook Club was the winner with 163 points to the Highworth Club's 137 points. Both clubs appreciated the judge's comments on their slides.

Howard Warren then selected some prints which were on display for the monthly competition and again made some observations.

Next month's meeting will be the annual presentation evening and Christmas social.

The meetings take place on the second Tuesday of each month. Further details from John Kennedy on (01793) 763577.

St John the Baptist Church

A carol singing service will be held in the St John the Baptist Church, Inglesham, at 3pm on Sunday.

It will be followed by an opportunity to meet and chat with friends while enjoying tea and cakes.

St Leonard's Church

A short family service followed by mince pies and coffee will be held on Sunday at 11am in St Leonard's Church, Stanton Fitzwarren.

This gift service will be an opportunity to give children's clothes, books and toys for the Swindon Women's Refuge. Items for children of all ages are very welcome, especially those for ten to 16 year-olds.

Women's Institute

At the November meeting of the Stanton Fitzwarren WI, novelist Margaret Bacon talked about her books and read extracts.

The next meeting will be held on Monday in the village hall at 7.30pm, when Barbara Sharpe will demonstrate a flower arrangement for a Christmas table.

Further information is available from E Bannister on (01793) 763657.

Stanton Fitzwarren now has a website that has a temporary location at www.stantonfitzwarren.f2f.com

Visitors to the site are invited to give their feedback to Duncan Chapman.

Mair Huband

Tel (01793) 762984