A CELEBRATORY switch-on event will see the Princesshay shopping centre’s Roman Walk come alive with festive cheer.

The Exeter centre is hosting its fourth Charity Christmas Tree Festival, starting on November 18. 

The festival, which aims to raise both awareness and funds for local charities, will be opened with a celebratory light switch-on by the Lord Mayor of Exeter at 5pm.

Representatives from participating charities will be attending the event, which follows Exeter’s city-wide Christmas lights switch-on, on Thursday, November 17. 

The festival sees 35 Christmas trees and lights, all donated by Princesshay, lining Roman Walk, embellished with decorations and lights by local charities to create a magnificent and festive display.

Visitors and shoppers to Princesshay’s Roman Walk will also have the opportunity to donate money to their chosen charity. 

Wayne Pearce, Princesshay centre director, said: “The Christmas Tree Festival is a wonderful occasion and we hope that it will raise awareness and funds for all participating charities.

"We warmly invite visitors to Princesshay to enjoy this magical festival which will add Christmas cheer to Roman Walk through out the Christmas period.”

The participating charities include, Exeter Royal Deaf Academy CEDA, Headway, Exeter District, Relate, EDP (Drug & Alcohol Services), NSPCC, British Heart Foundation, Children’s Hospice South West, ELF (Exeter Leukaemia Fund), Living Options, Force, St Loyes, Guide Dogs for the Blind
Age UK Exeter, NEDPSA (North & East Devon Prostate Support Association), Macmillan, ECI (Exeter Community Initiatives), RSPB, Hospiscare (Exeter & East Devon), MS Society, Snackpack, Diabetes Society, Ataxia, WESC, Families for Children, Devon Air Ambulance Trust (DAAT), Little Valley Animal Shelter, Action for Children, Fair Trade, Devon Freewheelers (Lord mayor’s Charity), Scrapstore Exeter, SENSE, The Donkey Sanctuary and JDRF.