Lilleshall's scarecrows to return for charity pre-school fundraising event

Lilleshall Scarecrow Festival is a popular annual event that sees residents line the village with a straw army of mannequins.

The tradition began in 2019, and not even the pandemic stopped celebrations entirely.

It's also the main fundraiser for the charitable Lilleshall Pre-School, and all money raised goes directly to the school to keep their little pupils occupied.

Pre-school manager, Tina Williams explained: "Lots of the villagers put out scarecrows, and on the day people can come to the pre-school to pick up and map of the trail.

"After they've seen them all they can come back to the pre-school to vote on which scarecrow they like the best."

The house with the best scarecrow will this year receive a £50 voucher for Mere Park Garden Centre.

Atop the scarecrow trail, the preschool will be hosting a fete, with stalls, entertainment, face-painting and a bouncy castle.

Tina added: "We've had loads of support from all our local businesses, lots of pubs and shops have given us prizes for our raffle.

"We're really hoping for nice weather and lots of people to come and have a great time."

The preschool is planning on using money raised to purchase some new tables and chairs, to replace a set that dates back over twenty years.

Last year, funds raised at the festival allowed the school to invest in more outdoor equipment to teach its children the importance of respecting and protecting the environment.

This year's event will run from 11am to 4pm this Saturday, September 21.