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2011 Message from our Mayor Rod Eaton

Once again the outstanding Melksham Christmas Lights in
2010/2011 surpassed all previous years and exceeded even our own
wildest expectations. The lights have become a defining feature of our great little market town over the Christmas season and give Melksham a valuable lead over the other nearby towns to attract Christmas shoppers. Each year sees new features, such as the shooting icicles on the Christmas Tree this year, which give townsfolk such pleasure and add a dynamic novelty to this very special aspect of life in Melksham.

The enthusiastic team is completely voluntary and independent of the Town Council. They put in an enormous amount of effort throughout each year to ensure our lights continue to go from strength to strength. I like to refer to this as showing the ‘Spirit of Melksham,’ which sets our lovely town apart as a great place to live and work. The lights in the town centre and around the wider area of Melksham have achieved national fame and continue to promote the attractive and unique character of our town. Well earned congratulations to the Christmas Lighting Group for their tireless efforts.

You will see the Group working around town in all sorts of the worst weather conditions from November through January. Recent severe winters have not deterred the resolute lights team, and this was never better illustrated than the efforts made, in atrocious weather conditions, to create the extraordinarily high standard of lighting display we enjoyed last Christmas.

The Group work hard in the “off season” as well, constantly enhancing and developing the lights in preparation for winter. Indeed, the improvements made in the technology of the lights themselves over the past few years have been exploited by the team, resulting in significant additional benefits, not least of which are that they now cost less to run and are radio controlled.
Please support this voluntary group as much as you can to keep up the maintenance and improvements to the lights. Collecting tins in local shops are available to make your contribution, however small or large, to show your appreciation for an entirely voluntary effort to enhance and promote our town. Any contribution will be gratefully received by the Group to buy and service the equipment to carry on their splendid work. With your support, they will continue to provide this incredible feature for Melksham.

Our 2011 Lights are dedicated to Roy Bowen

We have both as individuals and as a group constantly sung the praises of Roy Bowen for his unselfish and tireless efforts towards the reshaping of the town’s Christmas lights in 1991. Roy sadly passed away this year, and we have dedicated the 2011 Christmas Lights to Roy. We would no doubt have nothing like we have today if it wasnt for Roys dedication and infectious enthusiasm for the Christmas Lights.