Cranleigh Christmas lights, photo © Martin Bamford
After a difficult year for all of us, Cranleigh once again sparkles with festive lights celebrating Christmas. New this year are the return of glistening white lights strung through the branches of eight of the Maple trees on the common, three Stocklund Square trees and the Village Hall tree. Six new lamppost decorations representing the Crane and its osier basket have replaced damaged lights and the Village Hall has new icicle lights hanging from its eves. This year has seen the biggest financial investment in new and replacement lights for many years.
All new and most of the older lights are LED, requiring 90% less energy than regular bulbs. Fund raising, storing, repairing, replacing, installing, and removing the decorations every year is a big operation led by Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce. What is not known is how much this task depends on the generosity of local businesses and residents who contribute financially and volunteer their services.
The list of donors is long but special mention goes to Hans Christmas Andersen at Santa Fir for providing all the Christmas trees above the shops throughout the High Street and, of course, our centrepiece giant tree in Fountain Square, all at no cost. Local Builder Paul Fishlock, assisted by James Coupe for putting them up and taking them down and Kirsty at Stennetts for supplying the lorry to transport the main tree. Members of Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce donated over half of the funding required and once again the target sum has been reached because of Roger Coupe’s outstanding fund raising.
The cost of the Christmas lights in Godalming, Farnham and Haslemere is met by their Town Councils. In Cranleigh, without the support of the Parish Council, those very many local businesses who give annually and those who donate monthly into the Christmas 100 Club, and those individuals who gave to the social media crowd funding campaign, the village would be very much duller at Christmas.
This is truly a collaborative effort supported by and for the benefit of the whole business and resident community, showing once again “Cranleigh Cares”.
Cranleigh Christmas Tree lights, photo © Martin Bamford
List of Donors
AIMS ACCOUNTANCY
ASTRA HOUSE BUSINESS CENTRE
BEAR CONTENT MARKETING
BERKELEYS
BREWERS CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
BRIGHT CARE HOME CARE
BURNS & WEBBER ESTATE AGENTS
CCM GARAGES
CELEBRATION CAKES
CHIPSTEAD OF CRANLEIGH
CHRISTIAN REID
COCKERILLS SHOES
COOKS FOOD
CRANFOLD DEVELOPMENTS
CRANLEIGH BATHROOM STUDIO
CRANLEIGH FISH
CRANLEIGH FURNITURE
CRANLEIGH PARISH COUNCIL
CRANFOLD PHYSIOTHERAPY
CRANLEIGH SCHOOL
CREST NICHOLSON HOMES LONGHURST PARK
CROWES LETTINGS
EATON’S JEWELLERS
ETTORE
FOR EARTH’S SAKE
GOLF SWING SYSTEMS
GREGORY & SEELEY
GUILDFORD TIPPER HIRE
HANDYMAN’S HARDWARE
HANS CHRISTMAS ANDERSEN
HARRIER GATES
HART BROWN SOLICITORS
HESTIA LETTINGS & PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT
HOUSE PARTNERSHIP
IDYLLIC BEAUTY SPA
INFORMED CHOICE
JONATHAN HART ASSOCIATES
JULIAN PEARSON CAR LEASING
KERBSIDE TYRES
KIRKBY HOMES
LEE TAMAN HAIR
LIFESTORY/ RENAISSANCE RETIRMENT
LYNN MURRAY SOLICITORS
MICHAEL WILSON ARCHITECTS
MOOOH ICE CREAM
NATURAL LIFE SHOP
ONE FORTY
OXBOROUGH CHARTERED SURVEYORS
PETER ROUTLEY SURVEYORS
RAWLINGS BUTCHERS
ROGER COUPE ESTATE AGENT
ROGER COUPE LAND & NEW HOMES
SHELTON DEVELOPMENTS
SPLASHBACK THERAPY
STENNETTS
THE CO-OP
THE HUS B&B
THE NAIL AND BEAUTY STUDIO
THOMAS MS
THOSE LITTLE CHORES
TWM SOLICITORS
WINDMILL COMPUTING
