A Co Fermanagh town has called on its community to help to keep their Christmas lights on this year.
The Newtownbutler Community Development Association organises the Christmas lights in the town every year as the local council does not provide any funding for it.
However, due to increasing costs and a lack of financial income for the group in recent years, it is asking the local community to help keep the lights on.
READ MORE: Co Fermanagh town ‘decimated’ due to lack of investment as buildings lay derelict
Committee member Tanya McDermott told Belfast Live they are ‘dreading the electric bill’ but think it’s important for families to see the town lit up during the festive period.
“Covid had impacted us massively this past few years and we haven’t been able to run our usual events in the town,” Tanya said.
“There were literally a couple of years where we had no financial income at all, and that’s what we would use to fund the lights at Christmas.
“With the cost of living having gone up so much as well we are actually dreading the electric bill that we will be getting. This is our first year back properly getting Christmas lights and events in the town, and we’re relying on the support of the public.
“The support we have received so far has been truly humbling and we are truly grateful for it.
“Everything we do is for the benefit of the community and it’s important for us to have them up around the town, especially for all the kids.
“We don’t want to have to let them down."
Earlier this year a local businessman told Belfast Live about how the town of Newtownbutler had been ‘decimated’ due to a lack of investment in recent years.
A number of derelict buildings line the town’s main road, including a former hotel and a number of commercial premises
“We are a small town and even for anybody coming down through the town, they won’t have a good impression of it. We’re like a town that has been forgotten about unfortunately,” Tanya added.
“We helped to do up the old barracks recently to help tidy it up a bit.
“The lights would help to bring some sort of colour to the town at Christmas time.”
The Newtownbutler CDA has launched a fundraising page to help with the cost of the installation and running costs of their Christmas lights, which can be accessed here.
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