Festive switch-on success helps raise £275 for school pupils

Benderloch held its first Christmas lights switch on recently, with attendees raising £275 to help fund Lochnell Primary School's trip to Lochgoilhead.

 

Primary 7 pupils have been fundraising for their annual trip which will involve several outdoor activities, including canoeing and orienteering.

 

At least 100 people were in Benderloch on Thursday December 8 for the switch-on, with the main feature of the festivities being a striking Christmas Tree near the village's petrol station.

 

Lochnell pupils Jack Groom and Alistair Bullock were able to raise the funds by organising quizzes at 30p a go - they asked people to guess the dimensions of the tree and how many lights were on it.

 

They also helped make and sell hot chocolate drinks by donation before the lights came on, with help from the Ben Lora Café, which opened on the evening.

 

Jack and Alistair also had the responsibility of switching on Benderloch's lights for the first time.

 

Jack said: 'We started a countdown from 10 and when we pushed the button to put the lights on, everyone cheered.'

 

Ardchattan Community Councillor, Donald John Barr was delighted by the turnout at the event.

 

He said: 'We put more than 400 flyers through local residents' doors and the event had a great community spirit to it. It was particularly magical to see the older generation at the Lynn of Lorne Nursing Home watching all the lights.'

 

Jack said: 'We did about 200 letterboxes around the village', with his father Steven Groom adding that they had 'discovered what postman's hand is and both had bruised hands when we finished'.

 

It was two years ago that some of the Benderloch residents had the idea of putting up a tree in the village when Covid-19 was at its peak.

 

Mr Barr said: 'This year we've had money from Ardchattan Community Council to cover any costs. We've also received £10,000 from the Loch Etive Hydro Community Fund and we earmarked some of that money to have the tree up on a more permeant basis.

 

He added: 'There's also been a huge community effort and a huge amount of teamwork went into getting us where we were the other night. I would like to thank Ardchattan Community Council for allowing it to happen and the Loch Etive Hydro Community Fund for getting it off the ground.

 

'It was particularly magical to see the older generation at the Lynn of Lorne Nursing Home watching all the lights.'

 

Benderloch's festive efforts were also supported by local businesses, such as Breedon, which supplied residents with equipment and free materials for planting the tree when they were needed.

 

A Boxing Day Bike Ride and a New Year's Day swim have also been organised to raise funds for the pupils' Lochgoilhead trip.