Christmas officially starts with Dianne Oxberry switching on the lights in Sale Moor

Stand by for the big switch on this weekend as Sale Moor officially welcomes Christmas.

The Christmas lights will return this year and the  We Are Sale Moor group have a special VIP to perform the switching on ceremony this Sunday.

Dianne Oxberry, the BBC North West Tonight Weather presenter and  the host of  the BBC’s Inside Out programme, has agreed to push the button and light up the village centre.

”Last year was pretty depressing because we were without the lights after the Council  withdrew funding. It was real shame –  but we can now look forward to bringing back to spirit of Christmas, after the local community responded to our crowd funding appeal and raised enough money to bring the lights back,” said Christine Houlding, from We Are Sale Moor group.

Residents reached the £3,000 target in just a few weeks.

Dianne has agreed to do the switch on this Sunday November 20th at the Warrener Street carpark, and the party atmosphere will continue throughout the evening with mulled wine being served while the Salvation Army Band play carols. The event starts at 5.30pm and the switch-on is 6.15pm.

Said Dianne: “Its just brilliant that the community has come together to bring some much needed Christmas Cheer.  I am so impressed that they have raised such a large sum of money in such a short time.

“Crowdfunding was the perfect way for anyone and everyone to get involved and to give as much or as little as they could and those donations are going to transform Sale Moor this Christmas.

“We might not be able to rival Regent Street  but the difference the decorations it will make on the run up to Christmas will be amazing.  We all have to be invested in where we live as we are the ones who make it a success and the people of Sale Moor have proved that they can make Sale Moor sparkle.”

And on Saturday 26th of November  Sale Christmas Extravaganza takes place when the Waterside and Square hosts a various events. The fun starts from 11.30am.

The festive spirit has descended on Sale and in the next couple of weeks there will be so many events in the town’s Christmas Calendar the elves will be working overtime just to keep up.  We want to round up some of the events for you and also invite you to post your own directly onto this site.  It is free to post if the event is for a charity or is without entrance fees.  There is a small charge for an event which is selling ticket to get in or is a commercial event.