SANTA has made an early visit to Tenbury.

As might be expected he made his recee on a tractor visiting Burford on the way.

He had started off from the Barn at Dinthill, between Cleobury Mortimer and Tenbury.

The Barn at Dinthill decided to put up a large Christmas tree on the roadside.

It was donated by Tree Tops of Abbberley.

The idea is to bring a bit of cheer to people passing by.

But the Barn also wanted to raise funds for a local children’s charity. Hope House Hospice.

The Barn is a farm venue in the heart of the countryside and is usually a popular place for weddings.

Children from Tenbury and Burford Primary schools were asked to donate a bauble with a message of hope from the children attached.

There were more than 50 baubles donated and further donations can be made via a Just Giving page on Facebook.

A Christmas tree was also switched on to bring festive colour and hope.

It was also done as a virtual ‘switch on’ so that the community could watch.

At the tree lighting ceremony was Anita Rose who helped to organise the event.

Kyra Davies of Hope House Hospice, turned on the lights.

Father Christmas arrived at The Barn earlier in the day, and went for a ride around the village on one of the vintage tractors.

Lots of children were thrilled to see him.

During this difficult time, Hope House Hospice needs all the help it can get.

Hope House is named after baby Hope, who died in Birmingham Children’s Hospital aged just 10 months.

Hope was Caroline and Roger Peachey’s third child. Their second child, Fiona, had also died only a few short years earlier but with Hope the family had the support of Acorns Children’s Hospice in Birmingham.

Caroline had been instrumental in setting up the Shrewsbury Opportunity Group, a play scheme for able bodied and disabled children. It was through this group that the first meeting to look at creating a children’s hospice for Shropshire was held at the county’s Shirehall in May 1990.

On March 4, 1991 the charity that was to become Hope House Children’s Hospice was formed.

An incredible fundraising campaign was launched to raise the £1.5 million needed to build a hospice.