THE annual Trees of Light will have a new look this year thanks to the investment in new LED lighting.

When Paul Blowey, president of the Lions Club of Tavistock, switches on this year’s Trees of Light on the front of Tavistock Town Hall, there will be a noticeable difference in the number and type of bulbs illuminating the trees. Most years since the first tree was erected in 1999, the club has been troubled with bulb failures even though they were of the correct waterproof rating.

Last year, nearly a third of the bulbs failed and there was also a cable fault which caused the power to one of the trees to be cut off over the Christmas holiday period. The club therefore decided that it was time to change and has now invested in a new set of lights that consists of just over 2,200 small LED bulbs — a system that is used extensively for Christmas lighting by many local authorities and designed to withstand the vagaries of the English weather.

The ‘switching on’ of the Trees of Light will be at 7pm on Thursday, November 24, the day before Dickensian Evening, with the bulbs being sponsored by an individual or family in memory of a departed loved one or a good cause with all the proceeds going to charities, which this year will be Clic Sargent, Marie Curie and Parkinsons UK. This will be followed by a short interdenominational ser-vice led by the local clergy and during the evening, the Lions will be serving hot drinks and mince pies.

This will be the 18th year that the Lions Club has organised the trees and since it started, just over £83,300 has been raised in sponsorship and gift aid rebates from HM Revenue and Customs and distributed to local charities.

For the 13th year local funeral director Morris Bros (Tavistock) Ltd will be the main sponsor covering all of the costs which ensures that everything raised is given to the nominated charities.

Lion John Noblet, the main organiser within the club, said: ‘I am very pleased with the continued support from Morris Bros, the Tavistock Times Gazette for publishing the sponsorship form in its paper, South West Lakes Trust which has very kindly donated this year’s trees and also Tavistock Town Council and staff for their sterling work in erecting the trees.’

Seven years ago the Lions Club established a charitable trust which enables the club to reclaim the tax on any donation made by a UK tax payer. A total of £5,400 was donated last year and a rebate of £980 from HMRC enabled the club to give £2,100 to each of last year’s charities.

Mr Noblet will be writing to those people who participated in 2015 asking if they wish to do the same this year and if anyone else would like to become a sponsor, they can obtain a sponsorship form by contacting him on 01822 616481 or by emailing mail@ johnnoblet.co.uk

Alternatively,download 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 the 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.