Menagerie of Christmas light animals brightens up Holyport for the holidays

A fundraiser who has been putting on Christmas light displays for several years has pulled out all the stops this year to bring joy in a year of strife.

Andy Birrell has been putting up increasingly elaborate displays over the past five years, featuring shining unicorns, squirrels, owls and – new this Christmas – a giraffe.

He has been raising progressively more money each year for Thames Valley Air Ambulance. In the first year he raised £150 and has reached £350 this year, with hopes to hit £400.

To make up for cancelled celebrations, Andy hosted a small switch-on event in his road, Tithe Close, at the end of November.

Andy installed his lights a week earlier as it seemed to him that residents needed cheering up – and so far a few hundred people have come by to see them.

“Parents tell me their kids insist on coming every night,” said Andy.

To donate to Andy’s cause, visit the house and drop some money in the donation bucket.

Footfall has been increased ‘without a doubt’ by the Holyport Christmas Lights Facebook group, which has created a map of places in the area to go and see Christmas displays.

The Holyport Christmas Lights map pack covers around 80 homes around Holyport and costs £3 to download, with proceeds going to Holyport Community Trust and the Holyport School Association (PTA to Holyport Primary School).

To purchase the pack, visit https://tinyurl.com/ycxer57n