Street lights up for Christmas and charity

Residents from a road in Shinfield have joined forces to light up Christmas with thousands of twinkly lights.

The entire road is lit up for Maybank’s light spectacular, the seventh year they have got together, and it gets bigger and better every year.

Colm Hanlon said: “There is a small committee who start planning in July although really it is just an excuse to go to the pub!”

They ask for a small contribution from each home to go towards the hiring of a cherry picker, necessary to string all the lights across the street, and they use their contacts to get the best prices possible.

Colm added: “It takes us a solid three days to get all the lights up with a lot of cups of tea and coffee consumed. It really brings the community together and it has certainly helped us get to know our neighbours.”

More than 300 people gathered for the official switch-on this year and the lights are on from 4pm to 10pm and will remain until the new year.

This year they are sponsoring the NSPCC and The Lily Foundation. The NSPCC is the leading children’s charity fighting to end child abuse in the UK and Channel Islands. They help children who have been abused to rebuild their lives, protect those at risk, and find the best ways of preventing abuse from ever happening.

The Lily Foundation aims to give hope, answers and support to the many children and families that face the challenges of Mitochondrial Disease. Every 20 minutes a child is born who will develop Mitochondrial Disease by the age of 16! There is no cure for this disease which is for many, debilitating and life limiting.

The street is kindly supported by sponsors including Neil & Dan of Avocado Property, Fullbrooks Window

The lights have already raised more than £1,000 and the team are hoping to get well in excess of that before the end of the festive season.