A spectacular Christmas lights display created by local couple, Paul and Anne Nicholas, has raised more than £9,000 in support of Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger.
This is the fifth time the couple has turned their house on the High Street in Broom into a magical Winter Wonderland, delighting visitors and local residents with a host of stunning decorations and over half a million LED lights.
The display, which was open to the public throughout December, attracted visitors from across the county and featured some exciting new additions, including Santa in his rocking chair and a large furry musical reindeer.
Paul said: “When people ask me why we do this, I tell them the truth. I’ve always been a Christmas nut and I love all of it! It’s all about putting smiles on people’s faces. People loved the show this year. They always do.
“We have people who’ve been coming every year for the last five years. Some people in the village say that Christmas doesn’t start until they’ve come to see us!”
With last year’s display raising over £10,000, Paul reflected that stormy weather had created challenges for the couple this year. He explained:
“The weather was really against us. We were hoping to raise £11,500, but we lost three days because of the storm. It affected the display over one of the busiest weekends running up to Christmas.
“At one point, my wife and I were hanging on to parts of our illuminated tunnel to stop it flying away like a kite! But still, we’re very pleased with the money we’ve raised and to be supporting a local charity.”
Paul and Anne already have plans in place for this year’s extravaganza, which they hope will be bigger and better than ever. Paul said:
“We started building the display on 1 September last year. It’s a huge job, trust me. It comes together quite organically, because there’s no plan as such. But it works!
“This time my daughter sent me a rather large, animated furry reindeer all the way from California in a suitcase, and that went on our decking area, next to Santa in his rocking chair. The Grinch is going to feature this year – our friend’s helping us design that.”
Nick Burr, Senior Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, said: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to Anne and Paul, for putting on this incredible display once again. They continue to amaze us with their creativity, enthusiasm and generosity and I can’t wait to see what they come up with in December!
“The incredible funds raised will help us continue to be there when it matters for families going through the most difficult times of their lives because no one should face death or grief alone.”
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About Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice:
At Sue Ryder, we can’t make life’s most difficult moments easy, but we can carry some of the load. For more than 70 years we have been a source of strength and support for anyone living with a life-limiting illness or grief.
Dying and grief are universal experiences, but too many people face them alone. Here at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice located in Moggerhanger we provide a safe and reassuring hand for the people of Bedfordshire and parts of Huntingdonshire to reach for, with expert and compassionate support offered from our specialist inpatient unit, palliative care hub, family support team and lymphoedema service.
From giving care and support for someone at the end of their life to helping someone manage their grief, we know there is no one size fits all when it comes to how we cope and the help we need. We campaign for everyone who is approaching the end of their life or grieving to have access to the right support, at the right time. And we seek to break down the barriers to talking about dying and grief – so we can all be better prepared and better equipped to be there for each other.
We can make a positive difference during even the darkest of times. Whether in the last months, weeks or days of life, or living with grief, we help people live the best life they possibly can. We are there when it matters.
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