The JOYOUS Calstock Advent Windows are back this year and bringing some sparkle to the Cornish village.

Some outstanding window displays have already been revealed as the whole village comes together to support the annual event which is raising money for the village schools, with £500 raised so far.

Calstock Advent Windows was set up by Calstock couple, Fleur Cousins and husband Tom during lockdown in 2020 and has been running every since.

Each day, a new festive window scene is revealed in the village and the windows can be viewed online too. The couple were prompted to start the tradition by a lack of festive activites available for their three children during lockdown and took inspiration from seeing similar displays in Exeter.

Fleur said: ‘We saw one in Exeter and thought it would be nice to do a version in Calstock particularly for that year because there was nothing festive going on.’

Following the success of the first year, the event has continued every year since with all the local businesses getting involved to support the fundraising event.

‘That first year was phenonomal’, said Fleur.

‘We had people logging onto the website from across the world. It was a really magical year and then from then it’s just grown and grown.’

Fleur and Tom produce a map each year which provides a trail to follow around the village of each of the windows including a trail activity of searching for an animal in the window scene. This year that animal is mice which have been handmade by schoolchildren at Calstock Primary with the help of local potter, Rosie Fierek.

The trail maps are available to purchase for a suggested donation of £2 at the Lime Kiln Gallery, Lishe, the social club and the pubs.

This year the money raised will go to the Tamar Valley Pre-School and Calstock Community Primary School. In each of the previous years over £1,000 has been raised and Fleur hopes that a similar amount can be achieved this year.

‘This is a lovely community that we live in and everyone plays their part in it’, said Fleur.

‘I’m lucky to have three children that benefited from the pre-school and the school and I think it’s important to give back.’

On Christmas Eve a street party is held featuring Christmas music, carols, a snow machine, mince pies and The Boot Inn selling mulled wine with the profits going to the fundraiser.

‘What I love about it is that everybody is involved, it links everyone in the village’, said Fleur.

The windows are open and lit up each night from 5pm-9pm.

For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/CalstockAdventWindows