Evening, Castle Street and The Plain, Thornbury
Local gift and food suppliers will be offering their products and services. There'll be plenty to see, try and buy.
Local charities will have stalls to promote their causes and perhaps raise some funds.
This event is being organised by the Thornbury Chamber of Commerce, in support of the Christmas Lights Switch-on.
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury_f...
7pm, Thornbury High Street
Thornbury Christmas Lights Association has set the date for this year’s illumination switch-on ceremony, which will be on TUESDAY 16 NOVEMBER.
As usual the High Street and surrounding areas will be transformed for the festive season and thanks to the continuing financial support of local businesses and both South Gloucestershire and Thornbury Town Councils, it will again be possible to improve the lighting displays and further pursue the conversion to energy efficient light sources.
Thanks to Thornbury Chamber of Commerce, the Christmas Fair, with its emphasis on seasonal food, will again operate on switch-on night in Castle Street where both traders and local charities and organizations will be invited to set up their stalls.
The Association has chosen the newly re-formed Thornbury Castle Band as this year’s switch-on beneficiary.
As ever, because everything is done by volunteers and because work can only take place on Sundays, it will be necessary to start work on the erection of the displays in October and as ever, more help is needed. Anyone able to give up a few Sunday mornings should contact Brian Roberts on 01454 260330 or 415445.
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury/w...
2-5.30pm, St Mary Centre, Thornbury
Be sure to bring the whole family along to enjoy free children's funfair rides, magic shows, charity stalls, traditional Punch and Judy, face painting and children's entertainers. There will also be festive music from the Westerleigh Brass Band and Santa's Grotto run by Thornbury Lions Club.
The Centre's lights will be switched on around 4pm.
We look forward to seeing you to get the festive season underway.
Latest News
Thornbury Christmas Lights Association is organising a rather special raffle.
The lucky winner will be able to attend the switch-on ceremony on November 16th as a VIP, accompany the celebrity and help them press the switch that lights up the town. Or that winner can nominate a member of their family to be a star for the night.
Tickets are only 50p and will be on sale at the Food Fair in Castle Street, Thornbury on Saturday 11th September - look out for the Association's table.
Or, send a cheque (for as many 50p goes as yu like), payable to TCLA with your name, address, telephone number and email address to 15 Ashgrove, Thornbury BS35 2LH and ticket(s) in your name will be entered into the draw.
The identity of the celebrity is not yet known and will be chosen by this year's charity beneficiary of the switch-on, which is Thornbury Castle Band. Watch this space for more details.
Following last year's success, the switch-on evening will again feature a Christmas Community Fair in The Plain/Castle Street. See below for more details.
Work will begin on preparing and erecting this year's lights display in October, and as ever volunteers are needed to assist.
Anyone able to give up a few Sunday mornings should contact Brian Roberts on 260330.
2010's Switch-On Event
The switch-on night and street funfair is scheduled for Tuesday November 16th.
Everyone is invited to enjoy the festive spirit, take in the lively street scene and enjoy some hot food provided by one or two of the restaurants in the High Street.
Community Christmas Market
For the second year, in collaboration with Thornbury Chamber of Commerce, we will see a Community Christmas Market.
Any traders, charities or local organisations interested in booking space should email , telephone Penny Skinner on 01454 858007 or call in at Bonds of Thornbury, 14 The Plain, Thornbury.
Can you help TCLA?
If you have any surplus serviceable ladders, the committee would be very grateful as there are never enough when it comes to putting up the lights. We will come and collect any spare you can offer.
We are also looking for tabards to keep our workers safe and visible.
If you have any spare A-boards, these are also useful to alert passers-by to work in progress.
The Association will be particularly please to hear from any fit and active member, or perhaps someone in the household, who is happy to help with the fitting and erection process from early October onwards.
How to contact the Association
To help out with any of the many tasks needed to be done or for more information please contact any member of the Committee listed below:
Chair: Brian Roberts Tel: 260330
Vice-Chair: Rex Davis Tel: 415286
Secretary: Gill Dunkley, The Old Malthouse, Gloucester Road, Thornbury BS35 1LH, Tel: 281801 or email:
Membership Secretary: Terry Ray, Hollybush Cottage, Clay Lane, Thornbury BS35 3UA, Tel: 412272
Treasurer: Jim Footman, 42 Knapp Road, Thornbury BS35 2HF, Tel: 884063
Publicity: George Jackson Tel: 01454 884099 or e-mail:
How to join TCLA
We do realise that a number of TCLA members are unable to offer any practical help with the lighting displays, but we are grateful to all our members and value your moral support.
Family Membership to include all those in the household is £5 annually. Life Family Membership is a single payment of £40.
To join the Association, please click here to download a membership form or send a cheque together with your name, address, telephone number (and e-mail address) to the Membership Secretary Terry Ray, Hollybush Cottage, Clay Lane, Thornbury BS35 3UA.
To make a one-off donation please send a cheque direct to the Treasurer Jim Footman, 42 Knapp Road, Thornbury BS35 2HF.
2010's Beneficiary
The selected charity for the street collection this year is Thornbury Castle Band.
The band has been making great strides recently and will appreciate encouragement from the Town helping them to buy new instruments.
2010 Sponsors
Thornbury Christmas Lights Association is most grateful to those private individuals who prefer to remain anonymous and to the following, who have helped with grants and donations in cash or in kind in the financial year 2009-10:
Albert Rogers Funfair, Barden Network Engineering Ltd., Beechacres Thornbury Management Team, Burton Sweet & Co., Castle Estate Agents, Energy Solutions (Oldbury Power Station), Gems of Thornbury, High Street Dental Practice, Milbury's Estate Agents, MyThornbury.co.uk, Park Insurance Services, RMB Craftscapes Ltd., Sims Cook & Teague Solicitors, South Gloucestershire Council, Thornbury Chamber of Commerce, Thornbury Composters, Thornbury Litter Busters, Thornbury Magazine, Thornbury Pensioners' Drop In Centre, Thornbury Town council, Tony and Sue's Flowers Ltd. and the Wheatsheaf Inn.
TCLA Meetings
Click here to download the standard TCLA meeting agenda
Click here to download the minutes of the 2010 AGM
History of TCLA
Thornbury Christmas Lights Association was formed in 1991. Historically, Christmas lights displays had been provided for many years by the then Thornbury Chamber of Trade but when that body decided that it was no longer able to organise the annual High Street display, a group of volunteers came together to seek to rescue and continue what had already become a firm Thornbury tradition.
Almost twenty years later TCLA is still run by volunteers and with a number of the originals still among the ranks. Sadly some are no longer with us, including Terry Press who worked tirelessly to keep the town’s Christmas lamps alight and chaired the association until his untimely death in 2007.
Throughout its history TCLA has continued to improve and extend the displays and the cooperation of the St Mary Centre management has ensured full coverage of the town.
Although very much independent, the association could not carry on its work without the support of both Thornbury Town and South Gloucestershire Councils and also the many businesses, organisations and individuals who help in so many ways.
