Christmas lights charity needs £5,000 to reach target or some parts of Town will be in the dark
SOME streets may go dark at Christmas in Town unless more money can be found for the annual Christmas lights display.
The St Peter Port Christmas Lights charity has fallen short of its £36,000 annual target and looks like having to choose which of the Pollet or the Bordage will be illuminated.
The display has been the responsibility of the charity for the past five years and each year, the charity carries out safety checks on more than 30 festive arrays, hundreds of light strings and display rigs and oversees a six-week, out-of-hours installation programme.
‘What households go through every year putting up their Christmas tree lights, we have to do on a giant scale for the whole town but this year we are facing the real prospect of having to choose which streets we can afford to light up and that doesn’t seem fair on those roads or the people who so love coming into town to see it all lit up,’ charity chairwoman Jax Robin said.
‘With this being our second year of Covid doldrums, we really want to be able to keep all the streets illuminated.
‘The lights provide an important feel-good factor for the island’s Christmas economy.
‘Now more than ever, we need a full lights display to help people feel that normality is returning. We need at least £5,000 to ensure this year’s display goes ahead as planned.’
Last year Economic Development made up the shortfall in fundraising to keep the lights twinkling.
Corporates have offered support. Boatworks+ owner Peter Tom CBE said: ‘We’re supporters of the Christmas illuminations, which are an essential part of St Peter Port’s festivities – lifting our spirits and helping us celebrate after another difficult year.’
Ms Robin said that contractors were due to start on 13 October, leaving the charity a five-week deadline to collect the shorfall.
'Time is of the essence,' she said.
n Donate at www.christmaslights.gg, call 07781 139007 or email jaxr@cwgsy.net.
