The Christmas lights fundraising effort in West Kilbride has been praised for sprucing up the town.

On the village’s Craft Town facebook page, volunteers led by Stuart Fyfe were thanked for doing an amazing job with the budget they had, with the promise for better to come next year.

The public, and businesses have also praised the difference to the town centre, and Linda Hill of LAH Travel said: “The lights look fabulous - thank you so much to Stuart Fyfe and his team - it is appreciated.”

The West Kilbride Festival Committee (Mary Cahill, Derek Fairclough, Kay Hall, Stuart Fyfe and Chris Maughan) has been working away since early this year trying to find the cash to light up the town this Christmas. 

Stuart picked up the gauntlet in January, and has spent much time getting to grips with the practical and technical elements of the project, as well as taking on the main fundraising role.

Stuart has worked closely with the team at North Ayrshire Council, who put up the lights every year, to ensure that the new lights suit the frame work of the Main Street and Ritchie in West Kilbride. He has spent his evenings trying to decide between snowflakes and stars, string lights and Santas; and now with Christmas nearly upon us, we hope to see his plans come to fruition.

Grants have been received from the likes of West Kilbride Community Trust £3,000, Moffat Trust £1,000, and WM Mann Foundation to the tune of £1,750. Other grants were received from West Kilbride Civic Society, West Kilbride Rotary Club, Magnox, Hunterston B, Siemens and Tay Tech.

A Just Giving campaign and other fundraisers has helped push West Kilbride on its way to making its £15,000 fundraising target.

The West Kilbride yuletide page: “It is a huge responsibility for volunteers to take on and I hope you will all show Stuart your support; there are not many people who would be willing to take this on and there would have no Christmas lights if they didn’t! So a MASSIVE thank you to Stuart Fyfe, who will now be known as Mr Christmas Lights.”