A major live nativity procession is set to take place on Christmas Eve on the streets of Brecon with a cast of around 1,000 local people.

The event, organised by Revd Anna Bessant, will include three camels, a flock of Jacob sheep and a donkey.

The event begins at 12.30pm on Uplands field where attendees will enjoy dress up and making willow lanterns and stars.

At 3.30pm a service will begin on the field and will trickle down into the centre of the town with music, children, a star, angels, Mary and Joseph and the infant Jesus, sheep, shepherds, outcasts, refugees, Kings, Queens, Princesses, Princes, The Wise and Powerful, celebrities and, of course, three real camels. 

An informal carol service will bring an end to the event with refreshments on hand at St Mary's Church.

Organiser, Revd Anna Bessant spoke about how the idea came about. She said: "As a curate in the Brecon and Epynt Ministry Area, I had often dreamt of doing a live nativity in this place. I missed a recent Churches Together meeting in the town of Brecon but afterwards my Ministry Area Leader, Canon Gill Todd, reported from the meeting saying, 'Anna we wish to create a living Nativity….and we want you to organise it!'

"A live Nativity presents us with a huge opportunity to release the joy of the Christmas story to the whole community. Many people here haven’t had an experience of church and might not even know the whole nativity story. This is an event we can invite them to, to share the good news of the gospel and to hearten them."

After finding three camels, the plans started to take shape. Anna received help from her friends and colleagues, Richard Parry from The New Library, Llantwit Major, Will Beharrell from the Fathom Trust, Heather Dickens from Crafters, and Ruth Gibbs from The Muse.

Richard Parry's promise of cultural and theological facilitation and the many promises of craft workshop and community engagement meant that the group could apply to The Church in Wales Mission fund to make a formal application for money.

Brecon Town Council, keen to help advised Anna on how to organise road closures for the procession as well as plans for tents. Anna also received funding from South Wales Baptist Association Home Mission.

Speaking about the event, Anna said: "Our hope is that everyone will join in, take time out of their pressured, busy day and actually be part of the Christmas story, questioning, in the process, what it is all about and what it means to them.

"The nativity is the greatest story we have and this event to celebrate it is a present to the children and adults of the town."