Blackpool family raising money for The Creative Space Centre in Preston with spectacular Christmas lights

Dean Thomas, his wife and children, live on Condor Grove and every year they decorate the outside of their house in Christmas lights and decorations for charity.

This year they have chosen The Creative Space Centre in Preston, the largest multi-sensory centre in the U.K which provides a safe environment for children and adults with disabilities to play and learn, including those with Cerebral Palsy, Profound Multiple Disabilities, Autism and brain injuries.

Explaining their choice, Dean, a caretaker at AKS Lytham said: “Me and my family love doing everything for Christmas, I’d never heard of SPACE before but we met them at an event and we mentioned what we did, so we had a bit of chat, and they invited us up. I said I’d think about it because of the price of energy now but I was home for about two hours before saying I'd do it – they were just over the moon.

"It's absolutely amazing at the centre, it's out of this world, it’s the only one in the UK, my kids love it and I’ve never seen anything like that before. We’ve been a couple of times and it’s just a fantastic charity, it made us speechless, what they offer.”

David Diggins, Chairman of the Friends of SPACE Centre says: “We rely on people like Dean, whose generous efforts will help to raise money for SPACE and this is invaluable to us. He has put in a tremendous effort to illuminate his house and we are very grateful to Dean for trying to help us to help our clients.”

The big switch on was at 5pm on November 12, but the lights will be shining every Thursday-Saturday throughout November and December. They are free to view, but there is a donation bucket outside their house, and a donation page.

Dean added: “We love seeing the smiles on children’s faces when they come to see the Christmas lights. It reminds us of the times we have spent with our children at the Creative Space Centre.

"Our children have been able to benefit greatly from the services they offer and because they rely on donations to be able to continue to offer this amazing environment, it is only right that we to do something in return to show our appreciation.

"We welcome any donation, big or small, and in return for a donation each child that visits will get to choose a cuddly toy to keep.”

SPACE have over 230 groups visiting a month, including special schools, respite care homes, family bookings, play-schemes, parent support groups, after school clubs, as well as day centres and community homes who cater for young people and adults with physical and learning disabilities.

Groups come from all over the Northwest and sometimes even further afield, which SPACE says highlights the need for such a facility and the fact that there are no other centres like it. SPACE does not receive any grants from the government, local government or NHS so rely on obtaining grants and donations.

For more information, visit the family’s Facebook page ‘Condor Grove Christmas lights’, and to donate to their cause visit their JustGiving page.