BUDDING and established artists are encouraged to get creative this summer ahead of a church festival.

The Rev Margreet Armitstead of St Mary and St Nicholas Church in Littlemore is calling for residents to get involved in the Harvest of Talents taking place in September and October.

There will be a variety of artwork by community groups, schools and individuals displayed in the church at the junction of Sanford Road, Oxford Road and Cowley Road, over three weeks including crafts, pottery, photography, poetry and carvings.

The church will be open to visitors wanting to view the artwork.

Artist Pat Good, 83, from Littlemore, who enjoys working on oil paintings, is taking part this year having had work displayed last year.

She said: “What I like about it is it is not just paintings – the first year I was there, there were cake decorations and cards.

“It is quite interesting and I think it is important to have something like this.

“The more we do and the more people talk about it, the more will get involved and be interested in it in the future.”

Littlemore artist Tom Bower, 57, will be submitting paintings to the festival this year.

The father-of-two said: “I think it is brilliant because I don’t think people realise how many creative people are in the village and the scope of work being produced. I really support what the church is doing.”

Ms Armitstead said: “It is a bit of an expansion on the traditional harvest festival.

“We wanted to celebrate not just the gifts of the earth, but gifts in a wider sense.

“It has expanded from one weekend to three weeks.

“It is a celebration of the community. A celebration of all the gifts and talent.”

Artists taking part should take their creations to the church on Friday, September 27 between 4-6pm.

Visitors can then view the artwork from Saturday, September 28 until Sunday, October 20.

The church will be open from 10am to 3pm during weekends and 7.30am to 9.30am during the week.

The festival is in its seventh year.

For more information visit littlemorechurch.org