ONCE again the front of Tavistock Town Hall will be a mass of sparkling white lights for Christmas.

At 7pm on Thursday, November 26, the day before Dickensian evening, Richard Jones, president of the Lions Club of Tavistock, will switch on the Trees of Light.

Bulbs on the three Christmas trees will have been sponsored by an individual or family in memory of a loved one or a good cause with all the proceeds going to local charities, which this year will be the Motor Neurone Disease Association, Clic Sargent and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The switching on will be followed by a brief interdenominational service led by the local clergy and during the evening the Lions will be serving hot drinks and mince pies.

This will be the 17th year that the Lions Club has organised the trees and since it started with a single tree back in 1999, nearly £77,000 has been raised and distributed to local charities.

For the 12th year, local funeral director Morris Bros (Tavistock) Ltd will be the main sponsor and directors Simon and Lucie Luke are delighted to be supporting the project once again. They said they recognised the importance of the Trees of Light for families in memory of their departed loved ones and that the Lions Club ensured that all the money donated was given to the nominated charities.

Lion Steve Lethbridge, the main organiser within the club, said he was very pleased with the continued support from Morris Bros, the Times for publishing the sponsorship form in its paper (see left), Malcolm McGee of Well Park Farm, Albaston who had very kindly donated this year’s trees and also Tavistock Town Council and staff for their sterling work in erecting the trees.

Six years ago, the Lions established a charitable trust which enables the club to reclaim the tax on any donation made by a UK tax payer. A total of £5,100 was donated last year and a rebate of £900 from HM Revenue and Customs enabled the club to give £2,000 to each of last year’s charities.

Steve Lethbridge will be writing to those people who participated in 2014 asking if they wish to do the same this year. If anyone else would like to sponsor a light on the trees, they can obtain a sponsorship form by contacting him on 01837 54697 or by email to [email protected] or by completing the adjacent form or by downloading one from the club’s website at www.tavistocklions.org.uk

To ensure that the club is able to reclaim the tax, it is important that a UK tax payer completes the form and also writes the cheque.

A full list of donors will be published in the Times just before Christmas, with each one receiving a commemorative card in the New Year, which this year will feature a design from the pupils of Tavistock Community Primary School.