ORGANISERS of Christmas events have had to work around some of the strongest winds and heavy rain seen in recent years.
Staple Hill’s annual Christmas on the Hill shopping event had to move indoors, and some outdoor light displays had to be rescued as Storm Darragh hit during one of the busiest weekends in the run-up to the festive season.
The strong winds on December 7, which gusted at over 90mph in some parts of the country, left Staple Hill’s Christmas tree in Fountain Square leaning but still standing.
The outdoor market and events planned in the square for Christmas on the Hill moved inside shops, the Salvation Army and God’s House International church on the High Street at short notice, following a rare red weather warning sent to phones by the government the night before.
Staple Hill Chamber of trade secretary Tina Lewis said the community support for the event had been “fantastic”, as people came out in force.
Tina said: “It was so busy.
“We had 300 visitors to Santa’s grotto in the Window Hub – last year we had 150. The face painter was very busy and did double her quota, she was amazed.
“It turned out better than we thought.
“There were a lot of people up in town and the community really pulled together.
“We’d like to say thank you very much to our community for supporting it – the whole point of the event is to bring people to the High Street, and they jumped at the chance.”
Boscombe Crescent
AN emergency rescue took place to save one of Downend’s biggest displays in Boscombe Crescent.
Nigel Grimsby, who coordinates the display with his son Matt, along with neighbours Jack and Michelle Bell, and Paul and Marie Pritchard, was away in Poland when news of the storm came in.
Unable to do anything to stop his display from blowing away, he called on friends from the Christmas Dubs, owners of illuminated Volkswagen vans who helped launch the display two weeks earlier, for help.
The display temporarily lost its two giant bears, a penguin, a snowman and a Christmas tree which were at risk of blowing away.
Nigel said: “The VW van owners came and took everything down. A few things have been broken but we repaired them.”
The display’s opening night on November 23 was hit by heavy rain during Storm Bert, but still raised £1,452 for the Shine Bright appeal for Bristol Children’s Hospital after taking 42 illuminated vans from the Christmas Dubs to a special event at the Huntsman pub in Westerleigh Road.
The Boscombe Crescent display is open from 4.30-10.30pm every evening until Twelfth Night.
Donations can be made on site or online at tinyurl.com/38rev9s8.
Big crowds for Downend switch on
DOWNEND’S Christmas lights drew a big crowd when they were switched on on November 22.
The event dodged the arrival of Storm Bert around 12 hours later.
Residents filled the area outside the Horseshoe pub and lined the pavements on Downend Road and Westerleigh Road to see the lights switched on by Downend & Bromley Heath parish councillors Matt Pitts and Janet Biggin, after carols from the Staple Hill Salvation Army Band.
Jake Skinner Christmas lights
TEENAGER Jake Skinner had a clear dry night for the launch of his Christmas lights display in Downend.
Jake, 17, is now in his seventh year of fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support.
He started his display in honour of his sister Stacie Skinner, who died aged 17 on Christmas Day 2015, of anaphylactic shock.
Macmillan Cancer Support helped his nan, who passed away in 2021, when she had cancer. To date Jake has raised more than £20,000 for the charity.
The switch-on at 26 Sutherland Avenue took place on November 29 and the lights will be on from 5-8pm every night until December 27.
Jake’s display made it through Storm Darragh with “minimal damage” and was back up and running a few days later.
Jake told the Voice he had spent more than £1,000 on new lights this year, as he bids to top last year’s total of £3,350 in donations.
He said: “We’re on a whole new level we’ve never been to.”
Jake spent weekends and week nights throughout November building his display.
There are cash donation buckets on site, with a QR code for giving by phone and online donations at tinyurl.com/4t4se4bd.
Macmillan Cancer Support fundraising manager Atalia O’Leary said: “Jake is such an amazing supporter. His displays continue to grow each year (as do his Dads electricity bills I’m sure!) and he puts a smile on so many people’s faces.”
