A CHARITY which was set up to reduce loneliness in Okehampton is celebrating its first birthday – with a callout for volunteers to dress up as elves again this Chirstmas

One Okehampton was behind the popular Elf Outpost held in the town last Christmas, which children were invited to visit during four festive markets on successive Sundays in the town centre.

Charity founder Rebecca Green said that it was ‘terribly exciting’ that the charity she set up on a shoestring was this month celebrating its first anniversary.

‘We set up the charity because we could see there was a need for something which would help the community set up things for themselves,’ she said. ‘We wanted to provide things people could get involved in which don’t cost a lot of money.

‘There is also a lot of loneliness out there and a lot of people who have huge potential who want to do things but don’t know where to begin. It is all about boosting confidence.’

With these aims in mind, the charity has set up regular the community Sunday markets in the Charter Hall, offering free stalls to charities, free craft activities, make do and mend sessions and gardening advice. Two-course lunches for £2 at the market have also proved popular.

Elsewhere in the town the charity has set up a vegan club, a cake club – where some people bring cake and others eat it – along with a small business club, a photographic club and a craft club, wellbeing workshops and a meditation group.

‘We are very informal, we look at what people want to do, and we break down the barriers to what is stopping them,’ said Rebecca.

Preparations are now underway for this year’s Christmas markets, the first of which takes place on November 4, to be followed by ones on November 18 and 25 and December 2.

‘The markets have grown and this year it will not just be in the in the Red Lion Yard and the Charter Hall but also behind St James’s Church and at the Plume of Feathers,’ said Rebecca. ‘There will be at least 40 stalls.’

Back by popular demand will be the Elf Outpost, where children get to meet the elves in a specially decorated grotto. Last Christmas than 400 children took part, writing a letter to the elves and receiving a reply. Volunteers happy to don elf costume for this year’s event should email [email protected].