Children’s Elf Workshop to be Held at Christmas Fair

CHILDREN in Sonning Common will have the chance to train as Santa’s elves on Saturday (18th).

The Elves Academy will be held at the village hall in Wood Lane from 10 am to 5pm.

Children will be able to decorate their own biscuits and Christmas baubles, wrap presents and decorate a tree before “graduating” and receiving a certificate from Father Christmas, who will pose for photos.

The event is part of Khatry’s Christmas Mini Fair in the hall, which will also feature face painting, a tombola, cake and Christmas gifts.

The event is being organised by Aleka Melioti who is raising money for her daughter-in-law, Sophie McGarry, 26, who has terminal breast cancer.

Mrs Melioti, who lives on Pages Orchard, Sonning Common, is being helped by her neighbour and girl guide leader Kathy Lambert and Sophie’s mother Tara. She said: “We have been busy doing a lot of preparations for the day and it's open to children of all ages.” 

Mrs Melioti has handmade baubles out of plaster of Paris for the children to decorate and said that the participants will follow a production line to graduate. 

She said: “First, they will decorate a small box and then on the next table they will decorate the biscuits and put that in the box, wrap it and then decorate an ornament.

“I didn’t want to just do something where you sit with Santa and you don’t get a present, I wanted it to be fun for whoever comes.” 

Mrs Melioti said that even if she did not raise enough money to cover the day’s expenses the day was important to raise awareness.  

“I just want people to know about Sophie and her situation,” She said.

Sophie is married to Mrs Melioti’s youngest son Alekos McGarry and is undergoing chemotherapy for stage four triple-negative breast cancer.

The couple have a one-year-old daughter, Aria, and have moved to Reading to be closer to Alekos’s parents but have struggled to find a permanent home after he left his job to care for his wife.

Mrs Melioti previously held an event called Sophie’s Day in the village hall to raise money for a mobility scooter for Sophie as well as private treatment.

She said: “We need them to have a comfortable and happy life for as long as Sophie is here to live the best moments with her family.”

Entry to tomorrow’s event costs £6.