Express & Star

Wolverhampton family light up their house in Christmas spectacular for charity

A Christmas-loving family will light up their community to encourage donations and raise funds for charity.

Published
Lighting up their house with Christmas lights, (left) Gemma Freeman, with children (left-right) Lily Freeman, two, grandson Teddy Lea, five months, Archie Freeman, eight, Tegan Smith, 16, Alfie Freeman, 11, Niamh Smith, 23, family friend Aaron Bhella as The Grinch, and Dave Freeman

The home of Dave and Gemma Freeman and their sons Alfie and Archie will glow throughout December thanks to thousands of lights as they bring some festive cheer to Gorsebrook Road in Wolverhampton.

As well as the lights, the house will also have a collection of inflatables and lasers on display, as well as a snow machine.

Ms Freeman said the family had decided to do the display on their home in 2020 to raise funds for Low Hill Food Bank, raising £300 and creating food parcels to donate to the charity.

She said: "Last year was the first proper year we'd done this on our home and came as our sons wanted to do it for charity, and it all went to food parcels for Low Hill.

"This year, we're still working out who we want to donate to as we don't want to just hand them out ourselves as we don't know who is in need and who isn't, so we're looking a few other charities."

Ms Freeman said the response from the community has been good, with lots of people saying how much they enjoyed seeing it, and joked how one person said they could see it from the train heading out towards Shropshire.

She said: "Nobody around here had ever really done anything like this, but they've all said how much they like it, with one person giving us £40 and saying how happy they were that we'd bought Christmas cheer here.

"It's made more people put up decorations and lights on their homes, so it's brightening up the street and helping us to raise funds, for which we're looking to raise £500 this year."