How Todmorden is spreading Christmas cheer thanks to £55,000 grant

In addition there will be festive lights both at Eastwood and in Portsmouth, which have never been lit up before.

Todmorden town centre will be illuminated in twinkling gold and silver.

Cornholme, Walsden, Eastwood and Portsmouth will have a new type of multi-coloured moving lights capable of being controlled by mobile phone technology and changing every ten minutes.

This is happening following a successful bid by Todmorden Town Council to Calderdale Council for Accelerator Funding of £55,000. Residents may have already noticed new displays being put up in time for the festive season.

Leader of Todmorden Town Council, Coun Denis Skelton, said: “The opportunity to secure Accelerator Funding has enabled us to deliver a new festive lights scheme at very much reduced cost to our precept ratepayer.

“We all know this has been a particularly challenging year and not least for local retailers and businesses who need every help we can give in this critically important time of the year for them.

“Lockdown restrictions permitting, we hope Todmorden residents will take the opportunity to pop into the town centre, see the new displays, support all local businesses including of course our brilliant market, and spend local wherever possible.

"I would also encourage all retailers to light up their windows and stalls to add to the festive cheer.”

Because of Covid-19 there is no formal switch-on event this year and lights will start to be activated ahead of November 28, which was the scheduled date for the usual switch-on.

LITE Ltd, a Burnley based provider of festive displays, was appointed after a nationwide tender exercise and has worked with town councillors to design a new set of static displays, but with some twinkle to them, which are being put up around the town centre, together with new icicles across the market hall entrance, a new display at St Mary’s Church roundabout, new Christmas tree decorations, and moving displays along the gateways into Todmorden.

In the new year, schools will be taking part in a competition to design a display, from which one design per school will be selected to be turned into an actual display that will then be put up on the market hall wall opposite Bramsche Square Car Park for December 2021.

Because of Covid 19 there is no formal Switch on Event his year and lights will start to be activated possibly ahead of the 28th November which was the scheduled date for the usual switch on.

Once they are all up and running and outside of lockdown restrictions, a short video will be made and placed on the Town Councils website.

Coun Silvia Dacre, Todmorden ward councillor on Calderdale Council who supported the bid for Accelerator Funds, said: “We are delighted to help in this. Key to making this happen was Todmorden Town Council’s willingness to make an early bid for funds. Within a short timescale, this scheme has been put together and hopefully will bring some pleasure at these difficult times.”

Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker said: “The Government is pleased to help Calderdale Council take forward investment in local facilities as part of a wider Towns Fund initiative, where I am supporting them in their bid to attract very substantial funds for use in Todmorden.

"The Accelerator Fund is an early win for Calderdale, and I am delighted part of this initial £500k award is being used to help Todmorden Town Council deliver new festive lights for both the town centre and the gateways into Todmorden”

In the new year, schools will be taking part in a competition to design a display, from which one design per school will be selected to be turned into an actual display that will then be put up on the market hall wall opposite Bramsche Square car park for December 2021.