Charity donation box for military veterans stolen after Winterbourne Down Christmas lights switch-on

A donation box for a charity supporting military veterans has been stolen from a house in South Gloucestershire, following a popular Christmas lights switch-on.

Richard Isles from Winterbourne Down has been covering his family home with Christmas lights for the last six years in aid of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans.

This year's display is bigger than ever, with more than 150,000 lights illuminating Church Road.

Mr Isles said: "The charity box was stolen with the money inside. It is really upsetting. We take the notes out every night but a couple of hundred pounds worth of coins were stolen.

"After all the work we have put in, it is demoralising to think someone has run off with the money.

"We've spent a lot of our own money and time making this all happen - giving out sweets to children and putting on a show.

"If anything, it has made us even more determined to raise even more money for the cause.

"There's also been a great response after people have heard about what has happened. We've had local companies contacting us today, making donations, which has been brilliant."

Mr Isles makes the pilgrimage to Normandy each year for the commemorations of D-Day – the largest seaborne invasion in history which marked the beginning of the liberation of western Europe and France.

When he found out about the work of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, he decided that the 2024 Christmas Lights extravaganza would raise funds for them.

Richard Isles said: "The village looks forward to the lights display and having done it for the past six years, I don’t think we will ever be able to stop.

"This year, the display will be bigger and better than ever. We couldn’t achieve such a magnificent display without help and we are indebted to our sponsors."

The lights will remain on 24 hours a day until the twelfth night of Christmas (5 January).

Paul Cook, vice chairman of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans said: "As a small niche charity that is wholly reliant on donations, we are incredibly grateful to Rich for choosing to support the Taxi Charity this year."