Lyndhurst Village Decorations Committee
The Lyndhurst Village Decorations Committee, fondly known as the "Christmas Lights" is a stand-alone volunteer body that provides decorations throughout the year in the Village of Lyndhurst.
We take responsibility for some of the flower beds, summer bunting and of course the Christmas decorative lighting.
The Committee also liaise with the Chamber of Trade and the Parish Council sourcing flags, banners and bunting for specific occasions such as when the Olympic torch came through the Village and celebrating the life of Arthur Phillip, a local man, who founded modern Sydney in Australia.
It all started many years ago when a few traders got together and draped a string of coloured lights across the street plugged into one of their upstairs flats to provide some extra Christmas cheer.
This evolved into a Committee who organised volunteers to erect strings and small trees all individually powered through over a hundred individual timers and safety devices.
Rules and regulations reared their ugly head and the people involved felt unable to face the challenge of bureaucracy so the Committee was disbanded and the funds handed over to the Parish Council for safe keeping.
The Council formed a steering group which evolved into the Committee we have today.
At Christmas, volunteers erect thirty-three strings across the road and provide one hundred and forty-five small trees on shop fronts as well as a Village tree and one for the Community Centre.
They are all powered from eight distribution boxes positioned along the High Street.
The final connection is made by a qualified electrician who produces a safety test certificate to satisfy Hampshire Highways licence requirements and provides the appropriate cabling and connections to the latest specifications.
Funding is achieved by the Committee running fundraising events, inviting all local businesses to contribute an annual sum, the receipt of donations and sourcing sponsorship and other funding streams.
By utilising volunteer labour and investing in modern equipment the committee has managed to keep the costs under control but still pays out in the region of £10,000 to provide an effective display.
Your support is not only appreciated
but is vital to the Village
Lyndhurst Decorations Committee are an independent, unpaid group of volunteers.
To enhance the Village with decorative lighting during the Christmas period and to brighten the Spring and Summer with Bunting, Flags and Planting.
To create the Village experience and make Lyndhurst Centre the "Must Visit" destination for local residents and visitors.
By collecting an annual subscription from local businesses. By fund-raising and seeking grant aid
Does It Affect Me? Yes!
By supporting the Lyndhurst Village Decorations Committee you are doing your part to enable us to provide an experience that is unrivalled in the New Forest area.
No support - No Lights
e-mail georgebisson@tiscali.co.uk (Hon. Sec.)
tel:- 023 8028 2517
www.lyndhurstchristmaslights.org.uk