Worshippers at St Thomas and St Nicholas Churches, Bedhampton, will give locals a chance to experience the Christmas story in a new way this year. They will host the Christmas Experience on December 6, when families can walk through the whole Christmas story in the grounds of the historic St Thomas Church. Those details are here. Then they’ll tell the Nativity story with live animals and actors taking the parts of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men on December 20. Children will get a chance to meet the animals from the Nativity scenes afterwards. Details of that event are here.

And there’s another Live Nativity event happening at St John’s Church, Fareham, on December 14, from 10am to 11:30am. Bring your family for a magical retelling of the Nativity story, using real animals. You can also enjoy refreshments and craft, talk to the Nativity characters and meet the animals from Ems Farm. And it’s all free of charge. Details here.

Throughout December, churches will also be reminding us of how we can help those who are less fortunate than ourselves. The annual Churches Homeless Action voucher scheme will run for the 23rd year in a row. The ‘Comfort and Joy’ campaign aims to help those who are homeless, vulnerable families and asylum seekers by providing them with a voucher which they can use to buy themselves or their families a Christmas gift. Over the past 22 years, it have raised a total of £220k for local agencies supporting those on the margins.

Anyone who would like to contribute can place a voucher for £5 or £10 from a high street shop into an envelope, along with a Christmas card. They can be handed into the deanery office in St Faith’s Church, Crasswell Street, in Landport. And nearer Christmas Day, those vouchers will be given to agencies who help those who are in need – including the Roberts Centre, Stop Domestic Violence, Two Saints, the Society of St James, Hope into Action and Portsmouth City of Sanctuary.

CHA chairman, the Ven Bob White, said: “The gift of choice is one we take for granted, but which those who are on the margins do not often have. The gifts generously given by others may not be what the individual would choose for themselves, so this allows them that choice.

“And those who are in the margins and homeless are not just a statistic, or a nuisance, or a ‘them’; but they are human beings like us and in each of them Christians believe we see the image of God. Each year we hear of how much this simple scheme means to those who receive the gift cards and greeting and how precious they are.

“In a time of ongoing worries and concerns about finance, food, fuel and wellbeing we hope to be able to share this precious gift and greeting with as many as we can.”

And volunteers from St Faith’s Church, Lee-on-the-Solent, will be providing Christmas Day lunch for those who might otherwise be on their own. The meal happens between 11:30am and 2pm at the church, and more information is here. Anyone who would like to be there can contact the organisers on 023 9255 6445 or events@stfaithslee.org.uk.