Christmas lights have gone up in Ascot High Street – thanks to a generous donation from business Sixpenny Group and support from lighting contractor EML.
Since the 2022/23 financial year, Christmas lights in parishes is funded either through parish councils and/or business sponsorship, with installation of last year’s Ascot lights supported through local sponsorship.
This year, with no Ascot parish funding or sponsorship forthcoming by mid-December, the town was facing a year without festive lights. However when the news reached local entrepreneur Egor Shestakov at Sixpenny Group, he got in touch to offer sponsorship.
This generosity was followed by lighting contractor EML agreeing to reduce their installation fee as a gesture of festive goodwill and working through the weekend to ensure the full display can be up and turned on this week in time for Christmas.
Egor Shestakov, of Sixpenny Group, a property investment and development business, said: “I wanted to help my local community and ensure the lights went up in time for Christmas. I think it is important for the people of Ascot and surrounding areas to see them up.”
Mark Bamford, Company Director of EML, said: “It has been a pleasure working with Windsor and Maidenhead this year, and when I heard that Ascot had a sponsor to put lights up, it was the least EML could do to offer our support both financially and to get our teams to work this weekend to ensure lights installed without further delay. We would like to wish everyone a happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.”
Councillor Lynne Jones, Cabinet Member for Finance and Deputy Leader of the Royal Borough, said: “A decision was taken in February 2022 to remove funding for parish Christmas lights. Thank you to both Sixpenny Group and EML for their festive generosity, bringing some festive sparkle to Ascot.
“Ascot has been fortunate enough to get sponsorship two years in a row, which is fantastic, however sponsorship is never guaranteed and we would encourage all parish councils which want lights to ensure they set aside sufficient funding in case.”
Helen Goodwin, clerk of Sunninghill and Ascot Parish Council, said: “The parish council is very grateful to Sixpenny for coming forward to sponsor the Christmas lights on Ascot High Street this year. We are so pleased that festive cheer will be restored to the residents of Ascot in time for Christmas.”