A street in Newcastle has been attracting visitors from all over the North East due to its incredible Christmas lights display.
Three years ago, the residents of Lepidina Close in Lemington, first decided put on a Christmas lights display, to brighten up their street and raise money for charities close to their hearts at Christmas.
Fast forward to 2022, and the community spirit shows little sign of letting up with their Christmas display bigger than ever, all in aid of Mind Mental Health, the Sick Children’s Trust and The Great North Air Ambulance.
Read more here: How to track Santa Claus and watch his sleigh fly over the UK on Christmas Eve
Incredibly, their efforts have attracted visitors from across the city and beyond with the wider Lemington community embracing the festive cheer on Lepidina Close.
Resident Lee Carey, 42, explains how the street's unique yuletide tradition first came about during the Covid lockdown.
He is wishing that the total the community was able to raise last year can be beaten this time around.
He said: "Three years ago we started putting more and more lights up, the community grew quite close to each other during lockdown with everyone being around more at that time and then coming up to the end of 2020 one of our neighbours suggested doing it for charity.
"Two charities close to the street were the Great North Air Ambulance as we have paramedics living in the street and the Sick Children's Trust as they helped one of the children in the street when she was born.
"The feedback from the wider community of people coming to have a look and walking past was fantastic.
"Comments from some of the older people especially that you have 'made their Christmas' and them bringing their grandkids really spurred us on to do more last year so we went a bit bigger!
"We still did the two charities and raised £600 last year which was fantastic- just on the collection tins alone."
He detailed how the residents of the street have looked to build upon what they have achieved in the previous years.
"All fourteen houses in the street have taken part this year, no house is left out and everyone takes part in making sure it looks as good as it does.
"We also added lights to go from house to house last year and this year we've gone that little bit extra.
"In fact, we've had three new extras to the street who have all got involved which is just great news. The community spirit is just fantastic.
"This year we've added Mind Mental Health who have helped a couple of people in the street so we're really happy to be helping with that also."
Lee explained how the residents of the street manage to get all the lights up and working in time for Christmas, revealing that the operation first begins all the way back at the beginning of November!
He said: "There's been about three or four of us who each weekend have been putting up the street lights.
"I've got the biggest display so I've got to start quite early in the year in about November. To put them up it takes most of the month.
"I start with mine around November 1st and then each weekend in the evenings we'll put a few more sets up."
He said that the process involved brings the whole street together with all residents making a big contribution to the final result.
"Pretty much the month of November is taken up by getting the Christmas lights up which is great. Everyone chips in- one neighbour will be bringing the coffees out, while another will be bringing the sausage sandwiches out!
"Each weekend we all muck in and the first week of January we then muck in again and take them all down again! It's definitely helped to keep the community really tight."
Importantly, the children in the street have, naturally, loved playing their part in bringing the whole thing together.
"[The children] just love it. All of their families have came out to see it. They love seeing people donating and they'll sometimes be out the front shouting 'charity!' when people are coming past.
"For me especially, every time I drive towards the street it makes me smile. As soon as you turn into the street it gives you the feeling that you're home."
Drone footage, kindly provided by Michael Adie of Mediapixs Photography- which you can find on YouTube here- shows the street in all its festive glory, with the extraordinary display visible at all 14 houses.
Lee says that the support on social media has been crucial in terms of getting the word out.
"No one actually saw the drone fly down the street but it's just fantastic. The support like that has been great."
"Just having that support on social media has made a big difference. That footage was great and we've even had a few residents who have done TikToks of the street which we've posted."
Lee also explained how the wider Newcastle community has really embraced the street's efforts with people travelling from near and far to see them.
He said: "We've had people from all over! One gentleman even picked up his mum from Gosforth to bring her down to have a look.
"We generally get five or six cars a night which slowly drive down the cul-de-sac and suddenly drive out. A lot of them stop and give a donation and thank us.
"Literally every single night, there's people walking their dogs or driving who have come to view the lights. I've even had messages on our Facebook page from people asking when the lights are going to be on so they can bring their kids down!"
He added: "The response has been unreal. We get responses from so many people now. The messages I'm getting on our donations page have been really positive, thanking us for brightening up the neighbourhood.
"We've had people say they've been four times and brought their grandchildren- that sort of thing. Then they tell their friends and they come and see them as well!
"It's great for us and it's great for the community as well."
And with loneliness and isolation on the rise across the country, the festive display on the cul-de-sac is acting as a 'conversation starter', ensuring that members of the community are meeting and speaking sometimes for the first time.
Lee said: "Even last night, I popped out of my house and there was an elderly lady there who I got chatting to. I guess you don't normally chat with strangers but the lights inspired a bit of conversation between us.
"It's definitely a conversation starter. I've spoken to so many people from the local area now who I'd previously never spoken to. They've only come here to see the lights but you do end up chatting."
Lee added that his hope now is that the street can better their total from last year.
"We've been really touched by the comments from the community and that makes us keep going.
"I just hope we can beat the amount from last year and then we'll have to work out what we're going to do next year!"
- You can donate to their JustGiving page here. You can also follow updates on their progress on their Facebook page here.
- Drone footage was kindly supplied by Michael Adie - Mediapixs Photography. You can follow their YouTube profile where you can see more local drone footage here.
Read Next:
Forgotten Monopoly rule you may not have known about resurfaces on social media
Top 10 alternatives to pocket money that parents are using to reward children
From pocket money apps to first bank accounts - the best ways to teach children value of money
Seven dangers of posting photos of your children on social media - cyber expert's warning to parents
