This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 15 January 2019. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
CHURCHES across Oxfordshire are inviting the local community to come together and celebrate Christingle's 50th anniversary to support The Children's Society and show vulnerable children they are not alone this Christmas.
Research from The Children's Society has found that 200,000 10 to 17-year-olds in the UK are experiencing emotional neglect on a regular basis and some are struggling with other difficulties at home that create far from a picture of a happy Christmas. Christingle services are being held at the end of November, throughout December and beyond.
This year, The Children's Society has created an original song for schoolchildren, congregations or community choirs to include in their Christingle services.
The whole community is welcome to join the festivities and all money raised will go towards helping children dealing with a range of complex issues including violence, abuse and emotional neglect. Christingle is an opportunity for people of all ages to come together, light a candle and enjoy the warmth and joy of this special festive occasion.
It is a celebration named after the decorated oranges given out at the event.
These are oranges decorated with red ribbon, sweets or dried fruits on cocktail sticks and a candle, to highlight different parts of the Christian story. The Children's Society brought the Christingle tradition to England 50 years ago and in that time the collections at these events have helped the charity to work with more than a million children and young people.
With the help of the local people attending this year's anniversary Christingle events, the charity aims to raise even more crucial funds to help children who are facing Christmas alone. Matthew Reed, Chief Executive of The Children's Society, said: "We are truly grateful for the huge difference that Christingle services across Oxfordshire make to vulnerable children, year after year.
For thousands of children across the country, Christmas is just another time when they feel like no one cares about them at all.
This year we want to help even more of the country's most vulnerable children, and we hope more people than ever come along to celebrate our 50th anniversary of Christingle and give them the chance to enjoy their first Christmas. "Support young people by donating to the #Christingle50 campaign or attending a local Christingle Service.
The Christingle Song is available to download and listen to or learn for free.
Click here for more information. Churches in Oxfordshire holding a Christingle service: St Laurence, Church Church Road, Abingdon, OX13 5JL - December 2 at 10am St Peters Church, High Street, Didcot, OX15 5NH - December 2 at 3pm St Edburg's, Bicester OX26 6AY - December 16 at 9:30 St Mary's Church, Bicester OX27 7NP - December 23 at 4pm St Peters Church, Wooton, OX1 5JL - December 24 at 3pm and 5pm St Helens Church, Abingdon OX14 5BS - December 24 at 4. 30pm ;