AFTER a dark year, three local organisations have pooled their resources to turn their area of central Reading into an Advent calendar to spread some festive cheer.

Throughout December, artwork will be displayed in windows around a town community, and a map to hunt down the daily pictures will be available online.

New Hope Community Church, EP Collier Primary School and the Bell Tower Community Association have combined to exhibit the special art created by pupils at the school, which centre on the themes of "Light in the Darkness" and "Hope in Times of Trouble."

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The map will be available on the New Hope website from December 1.

Hidden on the frames is the title of a well-known Christmas carol, and the first to find all the letters and unscramble the words will win a prize.

Those who are feeling creative but don't go to EP Collier School or New Hope Community Church can also join in the fun, and an exhibition of all the school entries, as well as any other children's or adults' entries, is being planned for the beginning of January.

New Hope Children and Youth Worker, Abigail Ord, said: "This has been such an unsettling year for many of us but also a wonderful display of the importance of community."

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E.P. Collier School Governor Joy Atkins said: "The Community Advent Calendar is a lovely idea and it's been really positive to work together with the Bell Tower Association and New Hope Community Church to bring a bit of colour and cheer to the neighbourhood.

"Staff and governors have been impressed by the number and quality of the children's entries into the competition. It's been hard to choose the winning 25!"

Bell Tower Community Association Chairman Jonathan Dart said: "During this dark part of troubled 2020, the idea of bringing the residents as well as the school and church communities together by creating this art and turning the area into an advent calendar is something we are proud to be involved in and support."