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Search forSquirrel-hit lights switched on
Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 12:36
Last year, the Rotary Club of Bath put up 2,000 lights on a Christmas tree in Queen Square at a cost of £1,000.
People and firms sponsored the tree to raise money for Rotary charities and the exercise was such a success that it has been repeated this year.
But after last year's event the ground had been too soft for a crane to remove the lights, so the club decided to save money and leave them up.
However members did not bargain on hungry squirrels chewing their way through the wires, leaving them ruined.
The cost of replacing the lights and adding on an extra 1,000 - taking the new total up to 3,000 bulbs - was £1,500, which the club stumped up.
It is now hoping a generous city company will sponsor the tree to pay back the money which at the moment has come out of Rotary funds.
President David Broughton said: "We are looking for a business, possibly one close to Queen Square which has the benefit of the lights, to sponsor the tree."
A countdown marked the illuminations being turned on by city mayor Cllr Tim Ball on Tuesday evening.
The club hopes the tree will be a focus for thoughts and memories, and also be used to remember births or wedding anniversaries.
A Book of Lights containing the names of donors and the people or events they wish to remember will be on display at Bath Central Library and will be updated weekly.
Mr Broughton said: "Last year we managed to raise £2,500 but we are hoping to double that this year.
"Although we are in difficult times at the moment, the recent Children In Need campaign proved it can be done."
The money raised from personal donations will go the Rotary Club's chosen charity - the Space to Grow appeal for a new neo-natal intensive care unit at the Royal United Hospital.
You can donate online at www.rotary-bath.co.uk or at http://i.thisis.co.uk/274240/ binaries/treeoflights.pdf.
