Christmas alone could never account for the impressive intensity of community spirit in the Buckinghamshire village of Iver Heath last night. Despite the cold and the looming burden of festive family responsibilities, several hundred residents gathered on the recreation ground to sing carols by candlelight.

They had gathered to express their disbelief that a much-loved local childminder, Beaver Scout leader and instigator of dozens of village traditions is in jail, a convicted child killer.

Keran Henderson, 43, was found guilty last month of the manslaughter of Maeve Sheppard, an 11-month-old baby who was in her care. The jury at Reading Crown Court was told that Henderson had lost her temper and shaken the baby violently, causing her to lose consciousness. The child was taken to hospital but died two days later of brain injuries.

Henderson had told the court that the baby had been ill from almost the first day in her care and had suffered a series of seizures. On the day in question, March 2, 2005, she said the baby’s body had “stiffened and jerked back” as she changed a nappy.

The child’s parents denied any underlying illness, however, and expert witnesses for the prosecution said there were signs that the child’s death was a consequence of “shaken baby syndrome”. The jury found Henderson guilty by a majority of ten to two.

There was pandemonium in court at the verdict and something close to collective grief in Iver Heath in the days that followed, but the carollers on the recreation ground last night had renewed hope after some extraordinary new developments.

This week two jurors declared that they believed in her innocence and complained that the case against her had relied on often contradictory expert opinion.

William Bache & Co, the firm that fought to overturn the baby-killing convictions of Angela Cannings and Trupti Patel, has taken on the case. It has lodged a rare application to have her released on bail pending an appeal. Rachel Carter, a solicitor for the firm, hopes that by presenting fresh medical evidence the appeal will “blow the theory [of shaken-baby syndrome] out of the water so that these cases stop coming forward”.

A new mood of cautious optimism has swept through Iver Heath. Sylvie Lowe, 54, told The Times: “There was some sort of community here, which Keran did a lot to foster, but the bizarre thing about this situation is that out of this dreadful nightmare she has managed to unite the village.”

The village is now festooned with yellow ribbons, and an internet campaign is gathering momentum. “It’s been difficult explaining the situation to the children,” Mrs Lowe said. “So many children loved her.”

The Rev Will Hazlewood, of the Iver Heath parish church, said there was a “palpable sense of shock” at her conviction. On the day that Henderson began a three-year jail sentence, Alison Roper, 39, convened a meeting at her house. “Forty-five people turned up,” she said. “It was parents of children she had childminded, parents of children from Beavers, people from the drama group. Everyone knew her. She was always the first person to volunteer for anything: life for her was about other people and it always revolved around children.”

The Hendersons arrived in Iver Heath from Yorkshire in 1992. She was a legal secretary, her husband, Iain, was a police officer and was starting work in London. In 2001 Mrs Henderson decided that she was not seeing enough of her sons, who are now aged 14 and 9, and left her job to train as a childminder.

Suzanne MacLeod, 28, said that the children she cared for were made part of an extended family and enjoyed regular outings, “film nights”, and village traditions – a Remembrance Sunday parade, St George’s Day parties and fundraising fêtes. “Iain and Keran were the only stability some of these children had,” she said. Some local children joined the family on “Henderson Hikes” at weekends and annual trips to the pantomime. A number of families joined them on summer camping holidays in Cornwall.

Henderson began caring for Maeve Sheppard in 2005. Mr Henderson says that his wife was worried about the health of the child from the start. Once when he was working from home, he recalls the child having a seizure. They took her to hospital.

Debbie Aldridge, 43, a fellow childminder, said: “I met her with the child several times and could see she was ill. I warned Keran she should not be taking care of her. We all feel this could have happened to any of us.”

Disgusted by the police investigation that followed, Mr Henderson has left his job to look after their sons. “I don’t know how this Christmas will pan out,” he said. “If the Attorney-General wants to do something historic, the best Christmas present ever would be to have Keran out.”

His elder son piped up. “I’d also like a PlayStation 3,” he said, hopefully. “Just wait till your mother hears that one,” Mr Henderson said. “You’ll be for it when she gets out.”

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