A COMMUNITY organisation is seeking a four-figure cash injection from Castle Douglas Common Good Fund to ensure the town’s Christmas lights switch-on can go ahead this year.
The Forward Rotary group has requested £4217.40 from the community cashpot which is distributed by Dumfries and Galloway Council.
With more than £13,000 of Common Good funds available, council chiefs are recommending that the grant is approved.
The matter will be discussed by councillors at the Castle Douglas Common Good Fund sub committee next week.
A council report prepared for the meeting explains that the Forward Rotary group has already collected nearly £7000 towards the overall cost of new Christmas lights, but requires a few grand more.
In their application, Rotary members wrote: “At the start of the year, it came to light when organising a meeting with other community groups that the Christmas lights used last year cannot be used again due to them being in poor condition.
“Unfortunately, this does mean that if we cannot raise the funds there will be no Christmas lights on King Street at all this year.
“We are asking the Common Good fund for funding towards Castle Douglas Christmas lights the ‘big switch on’ is planned for the Saturday, November 28.
“We know from years gone past that a lot of the community were unhappy with the town’s current Christmas lights.
“We hope that some new Christmas lights will bring some cheer to our locals. We also feel that having some decent Christmas lights on the High Street will benefit the many small independent businesses, as it will encourage both the local community and visitors on to King Street and into the shops.
“The Forward Rotary Group recently held a meeting with local councillors, business owners and representatives from Castle Douglas Rotary Club, the Community Council, and Castle Douglas Soapbox Derby, with an aim of getting everyone together to help with the raising of funds needed for new Christmas lights. We are delighted to say that we are now all working together do just that.”
Other groups, including Castle Douglas Civic Week, The British Legion, and Castle Douglas Development Forum have also offered support with fundraising.
