BIDEFEORD'S CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH ON - PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRAHAM HOBBS PHOTOGRAPHY

Didn’t Jack do an awesome job of switching the lights on!!! Here’s a bit of info about Jack and why he was chosen to press the button!!!  Jack is an amazing ambassador for the Tony Hudgell Foundation.   Jack is aged 10 and has been raising money for the foundation since 2021 and has raised over £20000.   His fundraising journey started at just the age of 5 when he walked 5km twice a week to raise money for the NHS during the first lockdown! For this he was recognised as a lockdown legend with RAAM Exeter and later showcased in the historical museum in Belgium. He was later awarded a British Citizen Youth Award and has nominals after his name BCyA. It was here he met Tony Hudgell.    https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/northam-legend-7-awarded-british-6257221.amp He came away from the ceremony and asked why Tony had no legs - I explained it was because his birth parents weren’t very nice to him. Jack decided he wanted to support the Tony Hudgell Foundation - enhancing the lives of children who have been physically, emotionally or psychologically abused. He decided to run 1km every night in the middle of winter for 100 days and raised over £5000.   https://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/local-news/1216718/young-jack-strides-out-again-for-charity.html The foundation made him an ambassador in Feb 2022. He has also completed a mini 10 tors on Dartmoor, opened up Lynton and Lynmouth railway, climbed a mountain with Tony Hudgell and most recently climbed Mount Snowdon.   Some awards under his belt are a British Citizen Youth Award, a Prime Ministers Point of Light award, Northam Mayor’s community champion and also was gifted a holiday on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.   We are currently putting together a Christmas present appeal and hope to deliver over 200 presents to local children who wouldn’t get a gift this year.   Some articles for reference   https://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/home/1364864/amazing-northam-fundraiser-jack-pays-a-christmas-visit-to-downing-street.html https://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/home/1576343/jack-conquers-his-fears-fog-and-mt-snowdon.html https://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/uplifting/1527922/young-northam-fundraiser-jack-will-take-on-mt-snowdon-for-his-next-charity-challenge.html https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/bidefords-mini-forrest-gump-completes-6729615.amp Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/jackhopkinsbcya 

 Despite the drizzly weather the community  still turned out in full force to support the event and see the lights go on! 

We would like to thank everyone who attended the event and everyone involved in the production of the event - including our many volunteer stewards. Huge thanks to Bideford Town Council and Bideford Bridge Trust for their grants which make the event possible, also to Evans Transport for providing the stage and ride for Santa, Tarka Scaffolding for  providing the platform and stage access, TDC for the licence to use their land and use of gazebos, Slee Blackwell Solicitors for sponsoring the event. Thanks to all of the traders, attractions, performers, entertainers, AngelFire Pyrotechnics, Jacks Services, Waggle Events and our medical, fire and security teams. Thank you to Rob Watson and Jude Gubb for being amazing hosts.

DS Electrical have done an amazing job of installing the lights again this year on behalf of Bideford Town Council - they are stunning!  Thanks as always to our amazing event photographer Graham Hobbs for capturing the day!

Evans Transport

 Evans Transport - Aggregate | General Haulage Bideford North Devon 

Slee Blackwell Solicitors

 Slee Blackwell Solicitors LLP: Award Winning Lawyers 

AngelFire Pyrotechnics

 Corporate Pyrotechnics and Special Effects, Festival Pyrotechnics 

Tarka Scaffolding

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Jack's Services

 Building & Property Maintenance and Improvement Company in Torrington North Devon | Jacks Building & Property Services Ltd 

Waggle Events

 Waggle Events offer sound, audio visuals, screens and staging for events 

DS Electrical

 DS Electrical Specialising in Residential and Commercial Sectors 

CMLI Security

 CMLI Security Ltd 

JCAC Barnes Medifire Event & Fire Rescue

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Bideford Town Council

 Home - Bideford Town Council 

Torridge District Council

 Home | Torridge District Council 

Bideford Bridge Trust

 Bideford Bridge Trust - Home 

 Bideford Christmas Light Switch On was packed with entertainment with live music from Oliver Wattley, Stagecoach Performing Arts, Joe Hutchings, Westcroft  School Choir,  Bideford Town Band, St Mary’s School Choir and dance performances from Louisa Hockins School of Performing Arts and Sarah Ann Westcott Dance School. Bideford Pipe and Drums headed the parade and the fantastic team at Evans Transport provided a ride for Santa (as well as providing the stage!), Bideford’s Carnival Royalty also joined the parade. The event finished with an awesome show of  live music from Beckon the Wyrd  and Fire from Higher Beings.  

Catch part of the awesome Beckon The Wyrd's performance here:

https://fb.watch/we4kcw7auC/

 Beckon The Wyrd 

Oliver Wattley

 Oliver Wattley 

Stagecoach 

 Children's Drama, Singing, Dance Classes Barnstaple | Stagecoach 

Sarah Ann Westcott School of Dance 

 Dance Classes in Devon | Sarah Anne Westcott Dance Studios 

Bideford Pipe and Drums

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Bideford Town Band

 Bideford Town Band 

Louisa Hockin School of Performing Arts

 Louisa Hockin School of Performing Arts / Bideford / Dance Classes 

Magical Guests

 "Bring the Magic to Your Child's Party with Character Visits from Magical Guests!" - Magical Guests 

Bideford Carnival

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Higher Beings 

 Higher Beings Circus – Circus Performers, Shows, Event Entertainment, Circus Workshops, Fire Performers 

Westcroft School

 Home | West Croft School 

St Mary's School

 Home | St Mary's Church of England Primary School 

The man behind the camera - Graham Hobbs.

 We would like to say a huge thank you to Graham for capturing the day for us. We love Graham's work and hope you enjoy looking through the photos. 

Many of the images on our website are Graham's work - he is an absolute pleasure to have onboard and we are blessed to call him one of our team. 

This event would not be possible without the grant funding provided by Bideford Town Council. Bideford Bridge Trust also awarded a Grant towards the event costs. Slee Blackwell Solicitors also made a sponsorship donation to the event. A Huge Thank You to all of these businesses and organisations. Without your support this event would not happen. Thanks also to event supporters Evans Transport and Tarka Scaffolding who donate the stage and Santa's Transport for the event. Thank you for your continued support!!!

We would like to extend a massive thank you to this years volunteers. The Switch On event is a very long day - the first people on site arrive at 06.00 and the clear up takes until around 22.00.  Our volunteers all turned up and braved the rain to make sure the event could go ahead and they all worked really hard throughout the day.

Collectively  over 200 hours are worked by volunteers during the day of the event, prior to the event there are around  120 hours of  planning  - with licence applications, road closure applications, bookings, writing event management plans, risk assessments, advertising etc etc - South  West Event Management Solutions CIC are always looking for support with the events and would love to hear from anyone that would like to get involved and volunteer some time towards the event. Please drop Lucy  an email if you are interested - lucyloweevents@outlook.com’