PICTURES: Christmas Lights Switch-on illuminates Sudbury in festive colours
Thousands of people crowded on to Market Hill in Sudbury on Friday night to watch the town shine bright for Christmas.
After a traditional countdown, strings of festive lights, criss-crossing Market Hill and adorning the town’s Christmas trees, were switched on, flooding Sudbury with light – and Sudbury and District Camera Club member Russell Bone was on hand to capture the best of the action.
This year, two Christmas trees were lit up in the town centre – one outside St Peter’s and another, a memory tree, in Old Market Place outside Santander.
The memory tree contains decorations with messages from people to deceased loved ones, and is a fundraising initiative by Sudbury Town Council for St Nicholas Hospice Care.
The honour of pulling the switch to light up the town this year went the Emily Oddie, the winner of the town council’s Christmas card competition, who was helped by mayor Robert Spivey.
The magical evening continued with a craft fair in St Peter’s, hot food stalls and street entertainment, carol singing around the Christmas tree by Sudbury Choral Society and fairground rides, as residents got into the spirit of Christmas. Mulled wine and mince pies were obligatory, of course.
“The evening was a huge success, attended by thousands of people, both young and old,” said Teresa Elford, Sudbury Town Council’s event co-ordinator.
“The craft fair in St Peter’s was packed with lots of Christmas gifts.
“I have received a lot of very positive feedback and would like to thank the bell ringers who chimed the bells to mark the switch-on, The Salvation Army, Sudbury Choral Society, Sudbury Rotary Club, Holmes and Hills Solicitors, Ben Smith, Serena Grant, Simon Webb and all of the businesses who sponsored the event.”
She added: “Without these people, the event would not be able to go ahead and be as successful as it is.”
