Black dolls banned from Shropshire country show

BLACK DOLLS have been banned from a Shropshire country show after the organisers said they did not want them on sale for fear of causing offence.

Organisers of the Upper Onny Country Show have asked Sarah Dixon, who makes a range of rag dolls in all shapes, colours and sizes, not to bring her range of black dolls to sell on a stall at the show in Norbury Village Hall on July 18.

Miss Dixon, of Bishop's Castle, said she would have taken them if there had been no objections.

She said: "Another local show has banned the black ones, which I call gollies. They asked me a few years ago not to bring them. When I was invited by Onny Show, I thought I had better ask because it is their first show, I didn't want to upset anyone."

She added: "People can get offended by them and I don't know why. I came from a multi-racial family. It always felt like we were the original rainbow family.

Adopted

"We were all adopted and my brother is Arabic. I don't know if it's racist to have them or not but I will not be taking any along on the day."

Sally-Anne Jones, chairman of the organising committee, said: "The stall holder was invited to come along and sell her rag dolls. She asked if we would like her to bring her gollies. She did bring it to our attention because another local show does not welcome them."

The show will be raising funds in support of Norbury Primary School and Norbury Village Hall. Mrs Jones added: "The committee is made up of members of staff at the school and the local community.

"The committee is inclusive and values diversity. People felt that, as another local show had asked her not to bring the gollies, maybe it would be better, with historical connotations, to go through the same thought process. We wouldn't want to cause offence."

By Hannah Costigan