Christmas shoppers in Leicester city centre are being given purse bells and chains to try and prevent thefts from handbags over the festive period.

The chain can be used to attach a purse to a handbag to make it more difficult to steal. Meanwhile the bells will alert shoppers if someone is tampering with their handbag.

Swepstone St Peter’s Christmas Fair, is to be held on Saturday 6 December 2008 from 10.30 am to 12.00 noon in The Church Hall.

If you need a jar of home made preserves, some mince pies for the freezer or some handcrafted gifts for relatives, the Christmas Fair could be just what you are looking for. Exchange Christmas greetings with your friends and neighbours or chat about your festive plans. The admission fee is £2.00 to include coffee and mince pies. There will also be a cake and produce stall, a tombola, and a raffle. We warmly extend an invitation to you and your friends to join us.

“A Christmas Miscellany”, to be held on Saturday 13 December at 4.30 pm in St Peter’s Church
Will you be racing round the shops looking for gifts or frantically preparing food in preparation for the big day? This entertainment has been specially organised so that you can bring the complete household to sit back, relax, and enjoy an hour of leisure. The church interior will be decorated in accordance with the season, forming an atmospheric backdrop for Yuletide songs, music, lighthearted poetry and amusing prose readings, designed to appeal to the whole family. Authors will include John Betjamin, Paul Cook and Laurie Lee with subjects such as Christmas Past, food and contemporary Christmas. The Breedon Hand Bell Ringers will perform and music scholarship winner Edward Crane will give a brief recital. Admission is £2.00 for adults (and it is completely free for children), to include mulled wine and mince pies afterwards.