The 320,000 homeless people in the UK were remembered at this year’s live nativity in Dunmow, in front of a record crowd.
Organiser, Elaine Peck said: "We started this five years ago as a modest affair but this year we had an added dimension. We had sleeping bags with notices on to help the homeless and the Chelmsford charity for the homeless, CHESS had a stall in the church where people could find out what they could do to help."
Some 400 people saw the procession from outside the town library, as the sun was setting at 3pm travel through the town to St Mary's Church where there was a stable and children played the parts of the Holy Family, Mary, Joseph, the Three Wise Men, the angels and the shepherds in the Bible story.
The Bishop of Colchester, Bishop Roger Morris spoke and the choir was made up of children from Dunmow Primary and Dunmow St Mary's with music from Great Dunmow Town Band.
The idea was originated by three women, church members Elaine Peck and Beckie Rogers and Elsie Bouffler who is now training to become a priest.
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