Melksham Christmas Lights Group is appealing to local people to help keep the hugely popular lights shining this year as current team members are ageing and struggling to work as hard as they used to.
The revered team, led by Paul Weymouth, create a Christmas lights display every year that brings great pride to the town. However, many of the volunteers are beyond retirement age and are appealing urgently for others to get involved and keep the lights shining brightly this year.
One volunteer, 74 year-old Pete Reynolds wrote to Melksham News last week and said, “Our current ageing team of keen volunteers, the majority of whom are well past retirement age (and their sell-by date) are getting stiffer and less able as the years pass. Clambering up and down ladders can be a problem if your knees are a little reluctant to bend without clicking or popping.
“So, let’s keep the Christmas lights shining bright in Melksham. The challenge goes out to anyone who is interested in helping us.”
Anyone wishing to volunteer should hand their name and contact number or email address to Melksham Town Hall, and they will be contacted in the autumn.
Pete added, “Each year, when Paul and his team illuminate Melksham for Christmas, it is greatly appreciated by townsfolk and the people and families who attend the switch-on. It would be a great shame if this comes to an end due to the team not being fit or able enough to rig up the lights.”
