Prue Blake from the Beverley Christmas Lights Appeal sheds some light onto how the Christmas Lights in Beverley are paid for and the work that goes on behind the scenes to Light up Beverley for Christmas.
She explains;
“Beverley is shining brightly this festive season with lots of new lights. We have been fundraising throughout the year to make new purchases and on behalf of our Group, which comprises traders and interested Beverlonians, we feel the hard work has been worth it.”
“We don’t just fund raise in November and December, we have an event this week followed by two more planned for January and February 2016 – a valuation evening with well-known TV antiques expert Caroline Hawley and an evening of music and laughter with Quarto.”
“This year we spent £4,000 on a new cone tree which looks magnificent standing at the junction of Cross Street and Toll Gavel and we have increased the number of lights on the lamp posts around the car park in Saturday Market Place.”
“We bought new lights to go along Toll Gavel from Mountain Warehouse down as far as Hugh Rice and hope they will be put up this year.”
“Also – a new idea – we bought lights to go on the trees outside County Hall on Champney Road and Cross Street. These will be lit up from October to March each year and we are just waiting for power to be installed so they can be connected.”
“We have found that many local people believe that the Council pays for the lights. Beverley Town Council does have a budget which contributes to the lights and the Mayor, councillors and staff are very supportive and helpful – in particular the deputy town clerk, Carol Oliver. However, we pay East Riding Council to put the lights up and take them down which costs a considerable amount of money.”
“All in all it costs a lot of money to put on a festive display and I would like to thank the following people for their contributions: Peter Jacobson, Street Lighting Engineer, is wonderful. He and his staff spend many hours in all weather putting the lights up before Christmas.”
“Individual sponsors include Jim Whitfeld, Ruby Clark and Abigail Fletcher, The Blizzard family and the Kidd family. Business sponsors include cbaSadofskys, Quickline Communications, East Riding Carpets and Garrison Investments. In addition, Dreamers Kitchens on Annie Reed Road, let us store the lights on their land.”
“This year individual traders are responsible for putting up their own Christmas trees and quite a few have done this which increases the festive feel.”
“Peter Astell, Mayor of Beverley and Councillor Phil Dodsworth have been great as have the Lions and Chamber of Trade who put on the events in Saturday Market.”
“It was also great to get the Flemingate Development involved and finally, Ben Shires from BBC’s Officially Amazing added some excitement to the switch on this year.”
What happened to all the small Christmas Trees illumilated on the front of the shops which have been a major feature of ‘The Lights’ in previous years?