Lights On Windermere Avenue, Basingstoke

23/12/2025

Remember we are now done for 2025 at Windermere Avenue.

However, our friends the other side of town at Workshop Illuminations are still doing shows!

🎉🎄Shows tonight, 4:30 and 6:30 - Please read this if you're joining us tonight🎄🎉

Key message here - plan to arrive a little early, park safely and considerately, and plan on walking a few minutes.

Unsurprisingly, things are going to be busy over the next few days, and if we're going to run the show safely, we're going to need some help.

Please do not plan on parking in Saxon Way. There is a car park a few minutes walk from us, where the Tesco Local and Village Hall are - Google "Lychpit Centre". Please park there or on other local roads where safe and practical. Please do not block access for large (emergency) vehicles, and do not block people's driveways. The show runs entirely on the goodwill of our neighbours, and we have to do everything we can to keep the place liveable.

At the very least, please don't think that parking in the middle of a live road with your lights off is a good idea. You genuinely wouldn't believe the "optimistic" parking we've seen at times. I know it can be high pressure when you're trying to get somewhere on time, but think about the call you're going to have to make to your insurance company - "I parked on a busy blind junction in the dark with my lights off, in an area with lots of distractions. Weirdly, someone ran into the back of me". All you're going to hear is them laughing while they increase your renewal by 600%.

The shows are going to be running at 4:30 and 6:30, and last approx. 20 minutes.

If you have accessibility issues and any of this causes a problem, we're here to help - please shoot us a message here and we'll get things sorted for you. This will end much better than just turning up and hoping 🙂

K, with that out the way, it's back to the usual nonsense 🙂 This evening we're going to be playing this lot...
⭐ Shake Up Christmas - Train
⭐ Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
⭐ Christmas Robot - The RetroBot
⭐ Light Of Christmas - Owl City
⭐ The Greatest Show - Greatest Showman Film Cast

This year, we're raising money to support Cranbourne School's reading culture initiative, helping to fund new library resources. We can take cash, and we'll have the contactless kit out for card donations. You can also donate online at wsill.uk/donate/. As ever, donations are 100% optional, but very much appreciated.

Looking forward to seeing you out there 🙂

Pete, Cheryl & Sam

22/12/2025

A quick reminder, tonight is the last opportunity to see the lights in Windermere avenue this year. From tomorrow we will be dark!

Thanks to everyone that has visited us and donated to St Michael's Hospice, every penny counts.

Merry Christmas!

20/12/2025

Looks another dry night, so why not wrap up warm and come down and see the lights? 5 until 8pm. Just hit the big red button!

Just a reminder that Monday is the last night for the lights, so see them while you can!

And please park nicely for the neighbours. If they are upset, no more lights...

13/12/2025

The weather is looking dry tonight if a little chilly. Wrap up warmly if you are planning a visit.

We have added a few more sequences today so there is more chance of seeing different songs. The lights are running from 5 to 8pm daily until 22nd December.

Please park considerately and don't block our neighbours driveways. Without their understanding and support we will not be able to run the shows.

Thanks to everyone who has donated to the hospice, we have raised £150 in the first week. Donations are 100% voluntary but will be greatly received by St Michael's Hospice.

Merry Christmas!

07/12/2025

The rain stopped just in time for tonight's switch on! The lights are running daily between 5 and 8pm. Come and join us for some festive fun.

Press the red button in the donation station to activate the show.

We are collecting for donations will be gratefully received if you are able to spare a couple of pounds.

01/12/2025

Remember, we're not the only show in town if you fancy even more Xmas cheer...

Find all our details at https://workshopilluminations.co.uk, or https://facebook.com/workshopilluminations.Our chosen charity this year is Cranbourne Schoo...

30/11/2025

Christmas is coming and the lights are looking fabulous. The official switch on will be at 5pm Sunday 7th December.

Hope to see some of you there.

16/11/2025

The Christmas lights are taking shape now and will be switched on on Sunday 7th December.

Fingers crossed the weather will be dry and not too cold. We would love to see some of you there.

24/12/2024

Don't forgot we're not on, but these guys are.

03/12/2024

Remember, we are not on this year, but Basingstoke still has the awesome Workshop Illuminations running their show.

Good Day, and Merry (Almost) Christmas all!

We're pleased to announce "The Important Stuff" for our 2024 display - please read the longer bit too, ok? 😉

⭐ The lights we be up and on from 1st December, running nice rainbow patterns, etc.
⭐ This year, the full shows with music will be running every day from Monday 16th December until Friday 3rd January inclusive. We'll be running shows at 4:30 and 6:30 every day. Each one will last 20-30 minutes.
⭐ We're located in Saxon Way, RG24 8SA. Park in Lychpit Centre and wander our way - it's a 5-10 minute walk. We're not difficult to spot when you get in range 😉
⭐ As for last year, we're collecting on behalf of Cranbourne School. Donations are 100% optional, but gratefully received. We've got a contactless donation station now too - look out for the white box strapped to a lamp post.
⭐ Please park considerately, stay off our neighbour's lawns and driveways, and take any litter away with you. We need people to be aware of our neighbours, as we can only continue the display with their blessing.
⭐ We want everyone to be able to enjoy the lights if they wish to. If you have particular problems or concerns (COVID related, accessibility, or otherwise), please do get in touch. We can and want to help.

🎄 The Schedule
We'll be running the shows every night at 4:30 and again at 6:30, from Monday 16th December until Friday 3rd January inclusive. We're planning to be on right across Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day, so if you fancy a target for a Christmas afternoon walk, we're here 🙂 We'll be switching the playlist daily, so there should be fresh material if you fancy a few visits.

🎄 Getting To Us
We're located in Saxon Way, RG24 8SA. Our friends and neighbours are lovely people, and have been exceptionally tolerant of this ridiculousness - for their sake, we'd ask that you plan to park somewhere quiet and local-ish and walk the last bit if that's at all possible. The Lychpit Centre car park - for Tesco Lychpit, and the Lychpit Village Hall - is a few minutes walk away and might make a good option. Please don't think that parking close to the house and watching from the car is going to be an option. We're on the entrance to an active residential street, and we simply cannot have people blocking roads - we'll get shut down. Parking on the pavements (especially in front of the display) will also not be tolerated. It makes it dangerous for the children attending the shows, and blocks the view of those who have parked considerately. Should things get problematic, we'll have no option but to stop the show until everything is cleared. We know this sounds overbearing and melodramatic, but we've seen some truly "optimistic" parking, and we have no intention of fielding complaints from rightfully-aggrieved neighbours, the council, or the emergency services.
If you have accessibility needs, we're keen to make any and all special arrangements - please see below.

🎄 Looking After Our Neighbours
As mentioned above, without the kindness, tolerance, and general loveliness of our neighbours, we can't run these shows. As such, please be respectful of their property, keep yourselves and your children off of their front lawns and drives, and take your rubbish home with you. Last year, we had several instances of children throwing stones on a neighbour's drive, and unsupervised children running on our neighbours front lawns. Just as with parking inappropriately, we will have to stop the show if we can't keep things under control.

🎄 Accessibility
We want everyone to be able to enjoy the lights if they want to. If you have concerns or difficulties coming to see the shows, please get in touch. We can help out with any and all concerns related to accessibility, COVID (and reduced immunity), photosensitive conditions, etc. We can also organise for zero-contact viewings. If we can help out, we actively want to. Please drop us a message to this page, or get in touch via email at [email protected].

🎄 Charity Donations
We're pleased to announce that this year we're going to be supporting Cranbourne School. Over the last few years they've had RAAC-related roofing issues and are still trying to raise enough money to refit their swimming pool.
Not only is the pool hugely beneficial for their students, it's a valuable resource for local primary schools and the community, including preschool, and mum and baby groups.
The current structure is 45 years old and in need of work. It would be a shame to lose this community resource, so we'd like to help them out as much as we can.
Our usual Elf will be in charge of the bucket (and candy canes!) at the shows for cash donations, or we can accept contactless payments too... Look out for our donation point, or ask one of our team (wearing elf hats) and they'll point you in the right direction. Finally, online via PayPal is still an option - https://wsill.uk/donate. It's best if you mark it as "friends and family", as this ensures we get your whole donation. Donations are 100% optional but very gratefully received.

We've been working hard on the show this year, and can't wait to share it with you... See you out there! 🙂