Allot of fun in store at event

The 16th Elder Stubbs Festival gets under way at the allotments in Rymers Lane, with music, dancing, activities and stalls - and the chance to buy freshly-grown produce from the allotments.

Among the more unusual features of the festival, which costs £1 to attend, is the acoustic stage which will be located inside the allotments' polytunnel.

Jed Dale, one of the organisers, said: "The idea is for it to be a community festival.

"I think as Oxford goes, it is fairly unusual and it represents a lot of people from the local community. It is relaxed but hopefully colourful and diverse.

"We try to get as wide a range of things going on as possible, with rock and roll music next to majorettes, next to serious contemporary dance."

The festival is organised by the Elder Stubbs Garden Group, an initiative run by mental health charity Restore, based in Manzil Way.

Mental health charities and organisations will be represented at the event to give information and advice.

Mr Dale said: "The festival started out as a two-day thing on a much smaller scale.

"We do raise some funds on the day but the primary objective is to be a celebration and to raise awareness about mental health issues - and to have a good time."

It is Restore's 30th anniversary this year and to mark the occasion, visitors are invited to 'dress like it is 1977'.

There will be music from Huw Lloyd-Langton, Assassins of Silence, Raggasaurus, Modern Cliches and Opaque, as well as local talent on the acoustic stage.

Other entertainments include a reptile petting-zoo and birds of prey.

The festival also boasts that it will have the world's biggest bee.

Visitors can try their hand at chair caning, spinning, weaving and dyeing, and capoeira throughout the day.

On the more serious side, there will be mental health speakers, presentations and products as well as information on gardening and the environment.

Events start at noon at the allotments and last until 5pm.