THREE hundred children will take part in a magical procession of music and light through the streets of Tavistock tomorrow (Friday), ahead of the switching-on of the town?s spectacular festive lights display. Children from local primary schools and Tavistock College have been busy making candle lit lanterns of all shapes and sizes to parade at the procession, the penultimate event of the Market and Stannary Charter celebrations. The procession, led by the Stannary Brass Band, will begin outside the town hall at 6.30pm and wind its way through the town centre, ending back at the same venue for a short carol service at 7pm, when the Christmas lights will be switched on. For the seventh year, Tavistock Lions Club has erected three giant Christmas trees on the front of the town hall for its ?Tree of Light? display. Each bulb has been sponsored by an individual or family in memory of a loved one or good cause and to date over £15,000 has been raised for local charities. President of the Lions, Lyn Roberts, will light up the tree and the Tavistock Chamber of Commerce will switch on the town centre display. The lantern procession is just one of the events organised by the Tavistock Charter Group to celebrate the anniversary of the granting of Tavistock?s Market and Stannary Charters, which are 900 and 700 years old respectively. More than £20,000 has been given by the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the celebrations, which have attracted huge support. Cllr Iain Andrews, chairman of the town?s Charter Group, said: ?Tomorrow?s event will be reminiscent of Truro?s Procession of Light. ?Someone had the idea after seeing how wonderful the Truro one was ? but we want ours to be even better. ?It will hopefully bring as many people into the town as possible so we can have a good crowd here when the lights are switched on. ?This is a special one-off event for the celebration year ? but if someone wants to take it on and make it an annual event, that is fine by us.? Mr Andrews said the children taking part would be at least eight years old and fire safety experts had been involved to make sure the evening would be enjoyable and danger-free. ?It is going to be super ? we are very lucky to have the Stannary Band leading the procession ? there will be lights and music so let the show commence,? he said. The charities to benefit from this year?s Tree of Light will be the Children?s Hospice South West and the local Macmillan Nurses. Tickets are still available for Tavistock Chamber of Commerce?s raffle to raise money for the ongoing cost of Christmas lights. Members will be outside Woolworths on Saturday between 11am and 3pm selling tickets.
