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This
year's Leys Fair continued the success of last year's event, drawing
hundreds of people out of their homes on a beautiful late summer
afternoon.
Alan
Brown, Events Officer from Oxford City Council said: "The Leys Fair
started in 1997 as a fairly modest event and has grown to attract
up to 4,000 people throughout the day."
 I'm
seven now and I've been singing since I was three. I sang on
stage today because I sang at the Kassam Stadium and won the
CDI Talent Show |
| Tiana
Kingsley-Bio |
"The
Leys Fair is particularly popular with families - providing an array
of activities for children, including a small funfair and bouncy
castle."
There
was also a more serious side to the Fair with community groups sharing
information about what living on the Leys has to offer.
Fair
goers were introduced to the work of the East Oxford Healthy Living
Initiative and were offered free stress-busting massages.
In
addition, the Leys Fair celebrated the end of the successful Community
Development Initiative (CDI) Summer Project, a
popular community-based project that provided activities and entertainment
for young people aged nine to 17 from all over the Leys during August.
Jo
Barrett, the local Leys Fair co-ordinator said:
"We organised a talent competition as a link between the CDI Summer
Project and the Leys Fair.
"The
young people put in so much effort during the CDI project. The Leys
Fair gives them the opportunity to perform in front of the whole
community."
Young
peope who had won the CDI talent feast in August were also at the
Leys Fair.
Tiana
Kingsley-Bio, who kicked off the Fair's afternoon of music said:
"I'm seven now and I've been singing since I was three. I sang on
stage today because I sang at the Kassam Stadium and won the CDI
Talent Show.
"I
sang three songs today and I really enjoyed it. I also like to dance
and I have special costumes to wear on stage."
The
other talent winners showed off their DJ-ing skills and met the
Mayor of Oxford.
The
Leys Community Development Initiative is planning a similar project
for young people during the October half term.
Jo
Barrett said: "Next year we hope there will be an increased
youth involvement in the Fair - look out for future CDI projects."
To
find out more about the Community Development Initiative, telephone
Marsha Jackson on 07932 014 254.
By
Becky Telford
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