Communities around Fort William lit up for Christmas last weekend as groups and organisations hosted their switch-on ceremonies.
Caol
Up first on Friday December 1 were Caol Residents Group in partnership with Highland Council Tenant Participation Team (TPT) which held a Santa parade, including a police escort, starting at Camagheel Road and delivering trees to each area before arriving at Caol shopping centre.
The event attracted various sponsors including one of more than £1,000 from Zertex Media, publisher of the locally set DCI Jack Logan crime fiction novels.
Other sponsors for the trees include Bake N Roll, An Café Mara, Beauty Boutique Salon, Brewers Fayre and Geographer.
Ferguson Transport and Shipping provided a curtain side lorry for Nevis Radio, while entertainment was also provided by choirs from both Caol schools, Kilmallie Free Church, Showstoppers, Dance Platform and Sam Leveridge performing alongside dancing dinosaurs.
Kilmallie
The switch-on ceremony of the Kilmallie Christmas lights also took place on Friday.
MC Sandra Fortune, a founder member of the Kilmallie Christmas Lights Group, welcomed a large group of adults and children.
This is the tenth year the group has provided the Christmas lights for Kilmallie, following Highland Council’s decision to withdraw for financial reasons.
Sandra appealed for new members to join the committee.
This year’s splendid trees were provided by Gavin Linfield from Torlundy.
The group is indebted to Linda and Duncan Carmichael at the Tradewinds who hosted a fundraising race night recently.
Many other local organisations and individuals have also been generous.
Four new pole lights have been added to the display this year following the addition, last year, of two charming reindeer beside the Christmas tree at Banavie.
Mrs Fortune introduced Tanya Ross from charity STAR for Harris who spoke about the work of the cancer charity over the preceding year before inviting everyone to tea and cakes in Kilmallie Community Centre after the switch-on.
Banavie Primary School pupils Aniyah Matheson and Robbie Neil had the honour of switching on the Christmas lights after being nominated by their teachers.
Upper Achintore
Fifty residents braved freezing temperatures at the switch-on event at the entrance to Angus MacIver Way in Upper Achintore last Saturday evening.
Mark Linfield, chairman of Upper Achintore Regeneration Group, welcomed everyone to the group’s fifth annual event and local musician David Anderson led the festive singalong with happy festive tunes.
As darkenss fell and the tree was lit, everyone present raised a cheer and Mark thanked everyone who had contributed to making the event such a success.
In particular, he mentioned Lundavra Primary School staff and pupils, Karin MacKay, the Highland Council’s Tenant Participation Officer, Tricia Jordan and Nicola Gray who helped decorate the tree, David Anderson for leading the singalong and providing song-sheets and Connor Campbell for liaising with Nicola and the school pupils.
Claggan
Claggan Resident Association switched on its lights on Sunday December 3 at The Green at Ard Nevis Road.
Residents were invited to bring along a bauble to decorate the tree, while members of the group handed out hot chocolate and Christmas goodies.