DURING the festive period, parishioners and visitors to Cirencester Parish Church will be given a friendly greeting as soon as they enter by the 'Solstice' Hare sitting proudly amongst the locally sponsored Christmas trees.

'Solstice' has been designed and painted by well known local artist Mike Smith.

This splendid new hare is making an appearance to raise awareness of the next March Hare Festival in 2017 and the Cotswold Hare Trail. There are greetings cards featuring this new hare available from the shop in the church.

Mike has depicted delightful wintery scenes on this new sculpture showing glimpses of wildlife such as the robin, a deer, a hare and a rabbit showing up against glistening snow.

A cottage nestling in the fields beckons us with brightly lit windows shining out across the snow, making us think of mulled wine, mince pies and a warm fire.

Local people will be familiar with Mike's painting of the local flora & fauna on the 'River 'Hare on the Cotswold Hare trail by the River Churn on Abbey Way, the road out of Cirencester to the north.

Also local residents may remember his hare 'Pebbles' which was part of the March Hare Trail in 2014.

It wore a red and white striped victorian bathing costume, a hat and sunglasses. It sat proudly at the Pebley Beach Suzuki garage throughout the summer.

There are still opportunities for organisations, businesses or individuals to sponsor a hare for the 2017 March Hare Festival.

  • Enquiries about sponsoring a hare should be made by email to Florence Beetlestone at shoref@aol.com