Hastings couple's winter wonderland for St Michael's Hospice

Paul and Rosina Brockington, of St Helen’s Park Road, have been turning the outside of their house, together with their garden, into a Christmas extravaganza since 2010, using tens of thousands of festive lights.

Each year they usually make around £4,000-£6,000 for the St Leonards-based hospice, which looks after people with life-limiting illnesses across 1066 Country.

This year is the last time Paul and his wife will be running the event so the couple are hoping to reach a final target of £20,000 raised over the last six years.

Last December, hundreds turned out to witness the highly-anticipated lights switch-on of the Blacklands Winter Wonderland at the couple’s house at 35 St Helen’s Park Road. More than 20,000 lights were used for the switch-on.

Paul said: “This will be our last year as unfortunately it takes so much time to set up. We’ve been building the winter wonderland since the middle of September.

“Because it’s our last year of doing this, we want to make it the best ever event we’ve done.”

Hastings Miniature Railway will be providing rides, Renegade Pyrotechnics is laying on a fireworks display when the lights are turned on and the Melodians Choir will be entertaining visitors with Christmas carols.

The festivities will start at around 5.45pm with the switch-on taking place at 6.30pm.

Paul added Princess Elsa, from the hit movie Frozen, will be at Friday evening’s event from 6pm.

He said: “We’ve used close to 30,000 lights this year and as part of the scene we’ve got reindeers, seals, polar bears and snowmen.”

Santa will also be in his grotto every day until Christmas Eve inclusive.

Paul said: “We couldn’t have done all of this without the help of local businesses like Stamco and Little Down Christmas Tree Farm.

“The hospice looked after my granddad 24 years ago and my wife’s mother.

“The hospice needs donations in order to keep going and everyone in the town must know someone who has been in the hospice.

“This year we lost two friends, Mickie Reed and Shanie Cornelius, so this year is especially poignant for us.”

Paul added that he will be paying tribute to his family’s two friends who died this year at Friday evening’s switch-on.

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