A housebuilder helped Christmas arrive early in Southminster by donating £500 towards the village’s annual Christmas lights switch-on ceremony.
David Wilson Homes, which is currently building new homes at its nearby Corinthian Place development in Burnham-on-Crouch, made the contribution to support Southminster Parish Council in delivering the festive event for the local community. The ceremony was held in the grounds of St. Leonard’s Church in Station Road, where children from St Leonard’s Church of England Primary School and girls from the Southminster Rainbows and Brownies groups sang a selection of seasonal carols and songs to the delight of the audience.
Celebrations culminated in a countdown, followed by a collective effort from all those concerned to engage the dummy plunger at precisely the right moment, which resulted in the illumination of 19 street light columns across the village. Councillor Meinir Wyn Davies, Parish Councillor at Southminster Parish Council, said: “It takes almost a year, on and off, to organise, but it is well worth the effort when you see the children’s faces light up as the decorations are turned on and nothing beats the buzz of the build up to that long awaited grand finale.”
The ceremony has become a permanent fixture in the Southminster community calendar since 2019, and David Wilson Homes has contributed towards the project for the second year running. Tom Wright, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes Eastern Counties, said: “Events like the Christmas lights switch-on are a great example of what makes places like Southminster such special communities.
“It was fantastic to see so many people come together to mark the start of the festive season and we’re pleased to support an event that clearly means so much to local families.” To find out more about the homes available at Corinthian Place or any developments in the area, visit the website at David Wilson Homes in Essex.