Monklands’ answer to Santa Claus is hanging up his sack as he prepares to host his 20th and final cracking Christmas lights display.
For two decades festive fundraiser Alistair Doyle has illuminated the lives of families with spectacular sights and sounds at his Coatbridge home - collecting a whopping £108,000 for the Ronald McDonald House in Glasgow in the process.
Alistair is a keen champion and supporter of helping sick kids and their loved ones and came up with the novel idea to adorn his Kirkwood house with sparkling Christmas lights that people come from far and wide to see.
But the caring pensioner has decided the “time is right” to call time on his annual fundraiser - and hopes to finish with a flourish with his final display, which runs from December 1-26.
Alistair told Lanarkshire Live : “This will be my 20th and final Christmas lights display.
“Due to my health and other things, the time is right to call it a day, and it will be extra special as it has been two decades.
“I have managed to raise £108,000 for the Ronald McDonald House thus far and it would be nice to collect another good sum this year to boost the overall total.
“It has been an absolute joy holding the display and while it will be sad to bring it to an end, I can look back with pride on what has been achieved with the help of the community.”
As well as the festive lights and displays, visitors to Alistair’s final celebration will also have the chance to get in gear and ride off with a brand new bike.
Alistair explained: “M8 Cycles and Scotcast have kindly donated a bicycle which I am going to raffle off to raise more money for the Ronald McDonald House.
“Raffle tickets cost £2 and can be bought from me at or before the display.
“This gives people the chance to win a nice treat ahead of Christmas.”
Alistair is also hoping as many people as possible turn out for his grand farewell after the pandemic slightly hindered his efforts during the past couple of years.
He said: “Due to COVID, I wasn’t able to put as many attractions at the house, or welcome as many visitors as I normally would to last year’s lights display.
“But we still managed to raise nearly £7000, which is a very good amount, especially considering everything going on due to the pandemic.
“It was truly humbling to cross the £100,000 mark since first launching the event, and I can’t thank everyone who has contributed over the years for their support.
“Everyone’s support gives sick children what they want most - their families by their side throughout their time in hospital.”
Selfless Alistair has also highlighted the support given to him by others over the past two decades.
He said: “People in the community, and those who have travelled from far and wide to see the lights, have been incredibly generous.
“And the likes of Janice Kirkland, the Coatbridge branch of Bank of Scotland, my neighbour Jimmy Potter, family friend Ian Kirkland, the Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser and Annemarie Croal have proved to be an invaluable set of supporters.
“There’s no way I could have raised so much for the Ronald McDonald House without the help of others and everyone is responsible for boosting the lives of sick children.”
Last year Alistair’s lights display raised £6202 to take his astonishing overall total to more than £100,000 and a spokeswoman for the Ronald McDonald House said at the time: “Congratulations to Alistair as he has now raised well over £100,000 for the charity.
“Due to COVID-19, donations for most charities have been hit hard over the past year-and-a-half, but the work we do does not stop.
“Support from people like Alistair gives ill children the chance to have their families with them when they are in hospital.
“We’d like to thank Alistair, his family and neighbours and the many people who helped fundraise for the charity for their invaluable support.”
People can visit the display at Alistair’s Sharp Avenue home any day from December 1-26, between 5pm and 8pm.
Alistair also has a JustGiving page for people to make donations, which can be visited here.
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