Paul and Lee Brailsford

It’s nearly that time of year again in good old Bristol when the Brailsford family in Brentry turn on their Christmas lights!

The Brailsford Lights has been part of Bristol’s Christmas for many years now and every year many people across the city flock to gaze at the family’s spectacular festive lights which adorn every area of the family’s house, roof and garden.

There are snowman, reindeer, Santas, churches, carol singers, snow flakes, Christmas trees, a huge Nativity display and much, much more!

It all started on Boxing day in 1994 when brothers, Lee and Paul Brailsford, went to their local B&Q to buy some Christmas lights. The store was selling Christmas lights for half-price so they bought three lots to adorn their house the following year.

Each year their collection of Christmas lights on their house grew, so much so, that the family needed to start using other parts of the house to display the lights, including their roof, garage and onto the garden.

The “Brailsford Lights” was met by so much public interest that the family realised that it would be a great opportunity to raise money for local charities.  To date, the Brailsford family have raised THOUSANDS for charity, including Southmead’s Hospital’s Tiny Lives campaign (helping the hospital achieve their target amount) and £74,480 for the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity, Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal.

Despite lockdown#2 this year, the Brailsford family are undeterred and will be going ahead with their amazing display of Christmas lights this year, and raising a huge amount of money for charity in the process.

Jordan Brailsford

This year, the family will be holding a Virtual Switch On of their Christmas lights on Tuesday 1st December at 6.30pm.

The event will be hosted by Jordan Lee Brailsford and, as well as the Christmas Lights Switch On, there will also be some entertainment featuring Bristol’s talent to add to the fun!

Here’s the list of Christmas fun…

• Kelly Warren – Talented singer who is currently studying at Wilkes Academy.
• Two of Santas Cheeky Elves that will be available to book to come to your door.
• Demi Hartry – Singer that is Currently studying at the Bristol Institute of Performing arts.
• Josh Morton – Covid Hero who has been raising a lot of money for the NHS by singing at the Thursday Clap will talk about his hard work.
• Liam Brailsford – Dancer from P&O Australia, will present his choreography that was performed on the ship just last year.
• Then the host will introduce the Christmas lights and Santa will turn them on!

If you would like to watch the Brailsford Christmas Lights Virtual Switch On, please visit https://www.facebook.com/events/363962348031230/.

This year the family will yet again be raising money for Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, and welcome donations; you can donate on the family’s JustGiving page.  Or, you can donate via text: £5 text 5lights , £10 text 10lights , £20 text 20lights to 70450 (texts charged at standard message rate).

Please join the Brailsford family virtually along with your children on Tuesday evening and enjoy Brailsford Christmas Lights Virtual Switch On.  Christmas in Bristol wouldn’t be the same without it!