Community pulls together to switch-on Dunmow’s Christmas lights

There was a real party atmosphere when more than 700 people turned out for the Christmas lights switch-on in Dunmow on Friday (November 27).

Dunmow Round Table’s Santa’s Sleigh arrived, playing I Wish it could be Christmas Every Day.

The fairground ride twinkled its lights and candy floss and hot chestnut stalls wafted the smell of festivities down the road.

The event was crowd-funded this year. The organisers from the Dunmow Town Team had hoped to raise £4,000 for the lights and almost made the target. All the helpers were volunteers and all the acts the played for free. They included 33RPM, a band made up of students at the Helena Romanes School, Great Dunmow Primary School Choir, Dunmow Theatre Dance Group, The Granary Studio Dance Group and Dunmow Wind Band.

The event was paid for and organised by the town’s businesses and the public.

Spokesman Zoe Brady, who owns Zoe’s Coffee Shop, said: “If it wasn’t for the public’s generosity in both money and time and the town’s businesses, we wouldn’t have had this fantastic evening.

“We think the people of Great Dunmow saved Christmas. It only happened due to their support. This really showed the strength of a community who care about their town and what can be done.”