Hundreds turned out for the Formby Christmas Lights switch on
Formby Christmas Lights switch on event was bigger and better than ever. It felt like the whole of Formby was in Chapel Lane on Sunday afternoon 26th November to see the Christmas Lights switch-on! Despite the cold (and sometimes, wet) weather, a record crowd witnessed Billy Butler and Wally Scott of BBC Radio Merseyside, switch on the lights at 5pm.
There was a variety of Christmas stalls, some new and exciting rides and plenty of food outlets to keep everyone satisfied throughout the day. Neil ‘Nella’ Newton of Sandgrounder Radio did his usual fabulous job of hosting the stage event where local choirs VoxPop, Make Noise and G:Force were amongst the line up of entertainers and the day was closed by Range High rock band, Shift.
Everyone was thrilled to see Frosty the snowman, (looking much better after his convalescence) taking pride of place outside Formby Pool.
The Christmas Lights are paid for by donations from local traders and organisations - below is a list of those who have donated this year, so far though we are still collecting donations and this list will doubtless grow.
Watch the video here:
Photos taken at the event will be published on the Formby Christmas Lights Facebook page.
Formby Christmas Lights - Roll of Honour
(We do apologise if we have missed anyone off the list but new companies are added all the time, this list was correct at time of going to print).
· Acorn Insurance
· Acorn Kitchens
· Blu Kangeroo
· Broughs
Chapel Lane Surgery
· Colette Gunter Estate Agents
Costa
Derbyshires
· Dowhigh Construction
· Edinburgh Woollen Mill
Elbow Lane Dental
· Five Star Car Sales
· Formby Flooring Centre
Formby MOT
· Formby Parish Council
· Formby Pool Trust
· Sefton/Formby Wards
· Gifts InHouse
· Goldcraft Jewellers
Harington Ward Fund
· Karen Parkes Estate Agents
· Left Bank Brasserie
Maxwell Hodge
· Phoenix Cabs
Pleasureland Southport
· Ponden Home
Pose
Prides Hairdressers
· Riva Lounge
· Ro Dayo
Sefton MBC Christmas Fund
· Silver and Rose
Sorrento
· Sovini (donated the Tree)
Specsavers
Stepping Up
· Suay Pan Asian Restaurant
· Tesco Community Fund
- The Village Inn
· The Village Newsagents
· Tower Heating
· Tranquil Spa
· Trimmers
· Unique Hairdressers
· Vanilla
Village Inn
Village News
· Waitrose Community Fund
Whitfields
· Woodwards Wine Bar
The fund-raising for the lights and the organisation of the switch-on event is done by a small group of volunteers, the Formby Christmas Lights Appeal committee headed by local Councillor, Denise Dutton. Denise said: "After contributing an enormous amount of time and energy over the last 7 years, two of our small crew will be ‘retiring’ from the committee after this year’s event. I want to thank Pat Wordley and Paul Evans for the time and effort that they have put into the event and the help they have given me has been invaluable. They will be missed on the committee."
Special thanks also to Sovini for again offering to provide the tree and to Paul Lally 'The Christmas Decorator' and local resident for installing and decorating the tree free of charge.
