What a day to remember! The Bishop’s Cleeve Street Fair was once again a highlight of our village calendar—and St Michael’s Church was right at the heart of the festivities. With a warm welcome, delicious refreshments, a showcase of our mission partners, and a sky full of brave teddy bears, the day was a celebration of community, generosity, and good cheer.

Our church doors were open wide as we invited fairgoers in for tea, coffee, and a tempting array of homemade cakes. The aroma alone was enough to draw a crowd, and it was a joy to see the church buzzing with laughter, chatter, and smiling faces of all ages. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who baked, brewed, served, and washed up—your hospitality made a real difference and gave many people a chance to experience the warmth of our church family.

Inside, we also had beautiful and informative displays celebrating our mission partners—the organisations and individuals we support in their work both locally and globally - find out more about them there (link to their page). It was wonderful to see so many people taking the time to learn more about these important missions. Your curiosity and generosity help us stay connected to a wider story of hope, faith, and service.

But of course, one of the most exciting—and gravity-defying—moments of the day was our teddy bear parachute jump from the top of the church tower! With a crowd gathered below and eager young faces turned skyward, we launched 57 teddies into the air, each equipped with their own miniature parachute. Cheers and giggles erupted as the bears floated down (some more gracefully than others!) to our rescue team (The local Brownies). A huge thank you to our brave bear handlers and our volunteers at the tower—what a sight it was!

None of this would have been possible without the incredible team of volunteers who gave their time, talents, and energy so generously. Whether you were setting up tables, guiding visitors, serving cake, managing bear logistics, or simply being a welcoming presence—thank you. You helped make this event a joyful reflection of what church community is all about.

We feel incredibly blessed to be part of a village where such events bring people together in fun, faith, and friendship. And to all who visited St Michael’s—thank you for being part of it. We hope you left with full hearts (and maybe full stomachs!), and we can’t wait to welcome you again soon.

Until next year—keep your parachutes packed and your cake forks ready!