Liskeard is set to celebrate Christmas in style.

There promises to be plenty of festive fun to be had in the town in the run-up to Christmas and the town will look Christmassy thanks to the dedication and hard work of a team of volunteers at Liskeard Lights Up.

The official turning on of the Christmas lights will take place on the Parade on Saturday at 7pm.

Father Christmas will be there, along with Liskeard Radio and festive live music.

The lights will be turned on by Ukrainian refugees and all the local Ukrainian refugees are being invited to the event.

There will not be a lantern parade due to the planning involved but there will be opportunities for people to make small lanterns and bring them along to the event.

Full details of all events in the town throughout December are being released, including a Santa’s grot-to, a Cornish language-themed family trail, craft ac-tivities in the museum, an open-air Christingle service and the Christmas tree festival at the Methodist church.

New for this year, as part of the decoration of the town for Christmas, is an illuminated Advent calendar that will be displayed in shop windows and venues around town.

The images will be inspired by festive words in English and Cornish and are being produced by schools and community groups. Just like other Advent calendars, it will have 24 images, which will be on display throughout December.

The lights and Christmas trees around town are always organised and put up by a dedicated group of volunteers. The group has become smaller in recent years and it was hard hit by the death of John Lennon, who was a driving force of Lights Up.

A new committee has been formed following an appeal for volunteers with Sue Shand as chair and new town councillor David Braithwaite as vice-chair. The group is now hard at work putting up the decorations and will also be looking at longer-term planning from early next year.

Mayor Simon Cassidy said: “Lights Up is an important part of Christmas in Liskeard. We all have a part to play in making it happen and I’d like to thank everyone who is giving their time, determination and imagination to it this year. Do join in however you can.”

Town councillor Rachel Brooks, who chairs the Christmas planning group, said: “It’s brilliant to have local organisations and volunteers coming together to cheer up Liskeard this Christmas. The town council is working with the Lights Up group, local shopkeepers, the Liskerrett Centre, schools, churches, Liskeard Radio, the Lions, the Scouts, local musical groups and others to provide free festive entertainment and events.”