THE Christmas House in Churchstow has raised more than £4,000 for Children’s Hospice South West this year.

Mike Langman owns the house near the Church House Inn which has been covered in hundreds and hundreds of Christmas lights during the festive season for the last fifteen years and he has raised more than £36,000 after more than £4,000 was donated this year.

The Estuary Lodge Freemasons have helped Mike out this year, donated £250 towards his electricity bill which Mike told us last year was adding more than £125 towards his yearly bill.

Roger Kendall, charity steward at the Estuary Lodge, said: ‘Mike said he needed sponsorship for the electricity, and since he donates so much money to Children’s hospice South West, we wanted to give him a hand.

‘We often support charities in Kingsbridge and Salcombe and are more than happy to do so.’

Mike said he had visitors from Plymouth, Torquay, Dartmouth, Modbury and Ivybridge this year, with some people bringing their elderly parents to see it. ‘I always turn the lights on for them’, said Mike, ‘Its doesn’t have the same effect as at night, but they like to see them.’

He says children turn up with ‘pockets full of pennies’ to donate and one had saved up his coppers all year and gave Mike a carrier bag full, ‘it all adds up’, he said, ‘that bag had £31 in it in the end’.

Mike is hoping that if his fundraising continues as it is currently, he is expecting to break the £40,000 mark next year.

You can find out more about the Children Hospice South West on their website: www.chsw.org.uk and if you would like to see if the Estuary Lodge Freemasons can support your charity or cause, contact Roger by writing to Estuary Masonic Lodge, care of Cliff House, Cliff Road, Salcombe, TQ8 8JQ.