‘A FANTASTIC example of community support.’

That is how a local woman’s Great Big Guiseley Advent Calendar run is being hailed by theatre-focused Community Interest Company Codswallop CIC.

Codswallop has been asking residents to prepare a special window display, following the theme of light, for each day up until December 25 as part of the calendar challenge.

Now Guiseley woman Eleanor Thomson is aiming to run to every window that is featured in the Advent Calendar, at homes in Guiseley, Yeadon and Rawdon, on Christmas Eve to raise funds for Codswallop and Guiseley Theatre.

Community arts groups and theatres across the country have been badly hit by the coronavirus restrictions since March.

For places like Guiseley Theatre and groups like Codswallop that has had a huge impact both on the people who would usually be taking part and the organisations’ income.

Eleanor’s run on Thursday, December 24 is part of a wider effort by the local community to help the groups survive until better times roll round again.

She said: “A year ago we were privileged to see our daughter’s idea for a Christmas play – written when she was seven years old and a member of Oddballs Juniors theatre group – brought to life on stage by Codswallop CIC at Guiseley Theatre.

“This year, things look very different.”

The recent decision to put Leeds into Tier 3 to combat the spread of COVID-19 came as a very unwelcome surprise to Codswallop when it was announced.

Responding on its Facebook page, the group said: “Well to say that we’re gutted about what the Tier 3 restrictions mean for the theatre and live events industry is an understatement.

“Like many others we have been working since March to adapt and plan, prepare and make safe plans for the biggest theatre season of the year.”

Efforts by supporters like Eleanor, however, are helping to keep everyone’s spirits up.

Jacob Phillips from Codswallop said: “For us, like all events and theatre organisers, 2020 has been exceptionally difficult.

“Codswallop CIC has managed to survive so far through the generosity of our community and their unwavering support. Eleanor’s sponsored run is a fantastic example of this and we can’t thank her, and her sponsors enough.

“Something a simple as Eleanor running round our advent windows provides that little bit of certainty that we will be able to start 2021 in a better position.

“Thank you Eleanor!”

Eleanor can be sponsored at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/codswallop where, describing her reasons for doing the run, she says: “We’ve gained so much as a family from Codswallop and Guiseley Theatre.

“They help to make the arts accessible to our community and open up so many opportunities for all ages. The current crisis has made much of this impossible in recent months, which comes at a great cost.”