22 Jan 2026 Community

Jayne’s Christmas Lights Fundraiser Raises £856 for The Kirkwood

A local street was brought to life with festive sparkle and community spirit after Jayne hosted a Christmas lights fundraiser in support of The Kirkwood, raising an incredible £856 for our charity.

What started as a simple idea soon grew into a wonderful festive evening, encouraging neighbours to get involved and helping to create an atmosphere that people of all ages could enjoy.

Jayne explained how the event grew as more people joined in, saying: “Residents further up the road were encouraged to turn their lights on.”

And once the evening began, the community response was bigger than she ever expected: “We were absolutely blown away by the amount of people who arrived, walking up and down the road, enjoying the lights, refreshments and wonderful atmosphere,” Jayne said.

With Christmas decorations shining bright and visitors soaking up the festive feeling, the fundraiser became far more than just a night of fundraising it became a moment of togetherness for the whole community.

To add to the seasonal magic, Jayne even provided a Christmas soundtrack to help set the mood, bringing even more warmth and joy to the experience: “We also had Christmas tunes playing from a speaker out of our bedroom window,” she said.

The event raised a total of £856.00, made up of donations given on the night, as well as contributions made online by those who wanted to support the fundraiser from home or donate after attending.

Jayne said: “All in all we raised £856.00. This was from the buckets on the evening and also from an online link for people to donate directly to the fund, set up by The Kirkwood fundraising team.”

For Jayne, the final total was genuinely emotional not only because of the amount raised, but because of the kindness shown by everyone who came along, donated, and took part: “This amount was above and beyond our expectations and we were sincerely thankful to the everyone who came and supported us on this wonderful festive evening,” she said.

While the funds raised will help support The Kirkwood’s vital work, Jayne also highlighted how much the night meant in a wider sense as a way for neighbours to get together, enjoy a festive atmosphere, and support a cause that matters deeply: “This was not only a fabulous fundraising event, but also an extremely fun evening for the local community to get together and raise funds for a very much needed service,” Jayne said.

Jayne believes that events like hers, whether large or small, make a real difference to local charities and the people who rely on them: “I’m a true believer that fundraising events big and small make a massive impact,” she said.

And she also spoke about why it matters so much to keep supporting hospice care, ensuring families continue to receive compassionate support when they need it most: “Fundraising helps in keeping this hospice delivering the very much needed care and support that it has always done.” Jayne added.

Jayne’s festive fundraiser is a perfect example of how local communities can come together, share some Christmas magic, and make a genuine difference helping The Kirkwood continue providing compassionate care to local people and their loved ones across Kirklees. 

If you'd like to host your own fundraising event please get in touch with our fundraising team by emailing: fundraisingadmin@thekirkwood.org.uk