A total of £4,123 raised through the 2024 Long Lane Christmas Lights display has been handed over to 3 local good causes, following another year of generosity from the Isle of Wight community.
Terry and Sue Ramplin presented a cheque for £2,123 to the Prostate Cancer Support Group Isle of Wight on Wednesday, continuing their support for the charity in recent years. The donation will help fund essential prostate cancer screening sessions for Island men, saving a number of lives.
In addition, cheques for £1,000 each have been handed to the Wight Diamonds Marching Band and the Vectis Corps of Drums, both of which have supported the switch-on celebrations at Long Lane for many years. The gifts were made as a thank you for their continued dedication and contribution to the festive events.
Last December’s donations brings the couple’s overall fundraising to a remarkable £66,000 since the lights first went up in 2000, with £50,000 of that raised in the past 10 years alone as interest in Christmas displays has grown – supported in part by Island Echo’s Light up the Wight competition.
Terry and Sue have confirmed that 2024 marked their final full-scale display, as they begin to wind things down. Although the display will continue in future years, it will be on a smaller scale as Terry steps back after 25 years of festive fundraising.
More than 20 charities and good causes have benefitted from the Long Lane display thanks to the donations of visitors over the years. Recipients have included:
- Medina House School (3 times)
- Mountbatten Hospice
- John’s Club
- Home Start IOW
- Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance
- Ability Dogs 4 Young People
- Help for Heroes (2 times)
- Daisy Chains IW (2 times)
- Care in the Garden
- Monkey Haven
- Isle of Wight Ambulance Service Defibrillators
- Lottie Rann
- Chemotherapy Unit at St Mary’s Hospital
- Children’s Community Nurses at St Mary’s Hospital
- Beaulieu House
- Multiple Sclerosis Society
- Wight Brainy Bunch
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Isle of Wight Prostate Cancer Support Group
- Challenge & Adventure
- Vectis Corps of Drums
