Cockfield fair brings home and village closer together

AN autumn fair proved so successful at bringing a group of troubled youngsters and the village that hosts them closer together that it was repeated again.

The inaugural event was held in August last year following complaints about the behaviour of young people staying at Highcroft, in Cockfield, and residents.

Highcroft, a combined children's home and school, on the village green, is run by the Keys Group and caters for children aged 11 upwards with social, emotional and behavioural problems.

Last year's fair raised hundreds of pounds for the Cockfield Christmas Lights Committee and staff at the combined centre said such was its impact on the youngsters, they decided to do it again.

Jan Hindmarsh, senior residential childcare worker at Highcroft, said: “Last year’s girls who helped organise the fair have all moved on to either semi-independence, back home or 16-plus foster care.

“At the moment we have seven girls aged 11 to 16 who have come from all over the country,” she said.

“Last year, the fair went very well and we are hoping it will be just as good this year.”

She said staff and the girls had spent several months organising the event, which included a bouncy castle, football target shooting, tombolas, cakes, refreshments and tombolas.

“This is a good way of getting them involved with the local community, as they all use the local shops and doctors, so meet a lot of people on a daily basis” added Ms Hindmarsh.

To support the event, all the village shops contributed prizes. In addition to the Christmas Lights Committee, some of the money raised this year will also go to children’s cancer charity the Little Princess Trust, which provides real hair wigs for youngsters undergoing treatment.

“It was the girls who chose that particular charity,” said Ms Hindmarsh.

Money raised by this year’s event is still being counted.