TAVISTOCK Town Hall will be a mass of sparkling white lights on Thursday, November 25, the day before Dickensian Evening and the switching on of the Christmas lights, Tavistock Lions Club president Richard Hamer switches on the 'Trees of Light'.

Bulbs on the three Christmas trees will have been sponsored by an individual or family in memory of a loved one or a good cause with all the proceeds going to local charities — this year the Children's Hospice South West, St Luke's Hospice and the Mustard Tree Macmillan Centre based at Derriford Hospital.

The switching on at 6.45pm will be followed by a short interdenominational service led by local clergy.

This will be the 12th year the Lions Club has organised the trees and to date just over £43,000 has been raised.

For the seventh year, locally based funeral directors Morris Bros. (Tavistock) Ltd. will be the main sponsor and the directors of the family-owned company said that they are delighted to be supporting the project once again.

Lions Club member Roger Lethbridge the main organiser, said he was very pleased with the continued support from Morris Bros, the Times for publishing the application form in its paper and Tavistock Town Council and staff for their assistance in erecting the trees.

Their continued support has helped the club raise a tremendous amount of money and he is confident this year will be even more successful.

Last year, the Lions established a charitable trust which enabled the club to reclaim the tax on any donation made by a UK tax payer. A total of just over £6,000 was donated and a rebate of £1,050 was repaid by HM Revenue and Customs which enabled the club to give £2,350 to each of last year's charities.

Roger has already written to those people who participated last year, asking if they wish to do the same this year.

If anyone else wishes to sponsor a light on this year's trees, they can obtain a sponsorship form by contacting Roger on 01822 613794 or by completing the adjacent form. To ensure that the tax can be reclaimed, it is important the UK tax payer completes the form and 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.