Firstly, apologies for talking about Christmas at this time of year! Tam O'Shanter Urban Farm at Bidston has a nativity scene in the donkey's stable every year, created by stalwart volunteer Linda with great ingenuity. Snag is, the mannequins we were originally given have been shedding limbs and looking increasingly battered over the years. Linda has been working miracles with an increasingly decrepit selection of bits and pieces, but now they've reached the stage where they are just beyond use, which is sad because the scene is popular with visitors.

We intend to write to department stores and appeal for out-of-fashion but passable figures, but does anyone have any other ideas where we might be able to source a few obsolete shop mannequins? Or even the top halves? We can build bases if necessary, which would be covered by draperies. What we had before they fell to bits were Mary, Joseph, a junior shepherd, and three other figures that could be shepherds, angels or kings. We had some lovely displays, before they got too manky and we had to rely on VERY discreet lighting to camouflage the defects!

As ever, funds are a problem; the farm has to raise money to keep running and look after the animals, so we might be able to spend a bit but we can't spend a fortune on this, as our priority is maintaining the farm. I'd be grateful for any suggestions on where we might try to find figures so we can continue what has become a farm tradition.

Last edited by Greenwood; 2nd Jun 2014 12:48pm.