THREE Worcester venues have teamed up for the second year running to offer an autumn event they hope will appeal to all members of the family.

The Jinney Ring Craft Centre at Hanbury near Droitwich; Avoncroft Museum at Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove and St Mary’s Church at Hanbury have pooled their resources to create an Apple Day on Sunday October 4.

The aim, as the English apple season is now well and truly underway, is to celebrate apples, local heritage, food, drink, the community and travel between the venues, which will be provided Wythall Transport Museum - the home of classic Midlands buses. People can also enjoy a tour of the sites as part of their ticket – topped off with a cup of tea at the Jinney Ring.

Jinney Ring owner Amanda Sunter said: “Because we are all relatively close we have come together to bring people in for a good day out. It is the only thing we do in the year collectively and it is good for attracting people from outside the county.

“We did it last year and it was so well received we decided to do it again. Our ticket sales are already well up on last year.”

The day will include apple pressing demonstrations at Avoncroft using the museum’s own historic apple press. Amanda said: “It is very popular. Some people take it away as apple juice and there is a whole group who make cider with varying degrees of success.”

There will also be apple-themed games and activities to keep younger visitors entertained and costumed characters in the historic houses. The museum’s 19th century windmill will also be open.

It is the last day of the month-long Sculputure Trail at the Jinney Ring when visitors will be able to take a look at 100 pieces of sculptures for sale by mainly local artists.

“We try to encourage as many local artists as possible to bring along their work. We are trying to provide artists with the opportunity to show their larger pieces and people can see how they would look in their own garden. We have put some of the biggest pieces in the ponds.”

There will also be an Apple Art Competition at the Jinney Ring, with visitors being the judges by voting for their favourite, and an exhibition.

Hanbury church will be hosting an exhibition, organised by church warden Judith Burnman, of photographs and other memorabilia from the long-running BBC Radio 4 country soap “The Archers”. The church has been used as the radio show’s St Stephen’s Church on a number of occasions and the exhibits will detail the links between the church and the radio programme. People can also enjoy the stunning views over the surrounding countryside from the church.

The Apple Bus will travel regularly between the Jinney Ring, Hanbury Church (picking up and dropping off at the bottom of the hill) and Avoncroft Museum. Ticket holders are welcome to travel between the venues in any order they wish.

Advance tickets include rides on the Apple Bus between the venues, admission to Avoncroft Museum and a complimentary tea or coffee at the Jinney Ring. Prices are £8 for adults, £7 for seniors and £4 for children available from the Jinney Ring website: http://www.jinneyring.co.uk/acatalog/Apple-Day.html or Tel: 01527 821272.

“The Apple Day is something different for people and working together with other local businesses is always nice for us too,” said Amanda.