COOKERY expert Sue Bridger will be offering handy hints on Christmas catering in Sidbury this week.

Her festive cookery demonstration will take place at Sidbury Village Hall on Wednesday. This will be followed by Sidbury teacher Leah Stratton showing guests how to make festive table decorations.

The event has been organised by and is in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support’s Sidmouth fundraising committee.

Sue is Macmillan’s Somerset county chairman. Her first contact with the charity was in 1981, when a Macmillan nurse supported her and her family after her mother-in-law became ill with cancer.

She urged people to support Macmillan’s work by attending the yuletide event.

“Macmillan provides practical, medical, emotional and financial support to those living with cancer and their family and friends,” she said. “Without local support, we couldn’t continue helping so many people.”

Sue is well known for her cookery demonstrations. As a home economist, she taught food studies at colleges throughout Berkshire for 35 years and now leads many residential courses at Denham College, the flagship of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes.

Fundraising committee chairman Joyce Burnham said: “We are extremely fortunate to have Sue come along again to demonstrate her wonderful cookery and, of course, enable us to sample it.

“We are grateful to her for her kind support.”

Tickets priced �12.50 include a lunch of soup, bread and cheese, hot mince pies and tea or coffee. They are available from committee members Pam Ward on (01395) 507691 and Carol Symes on (01395) 578114.