Advent IMpact | Ian’s Story | Audlem District Amenities Society (ADAS)

• by Olivia Lawlor-Blackburn
• Advent IM Blog General

Audlem District Amenities Society (ADAS), Registered Charity 502441, was formed in 1969. The concept was to stimulate public interest in the area to promote high standards of planning and architecture and to secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historical and public interest.

This ethos has remained the driving force that stimulates the thriving community and has grown to include participation in the Northwest In Bloom (NWIB), part of the Britain In Bloom competition, which has been a regular activity for the best part of 20 years.

Another of their major activities is The Big Switch On (BSO), which like the NWIB has become a significant event due to the challenges of installing 65 1.2-1.5m tall real Christmas trees in the village square (it’s a triangle…) and feeder roads, and one, 8-10m central to the square (it’s still a triangle).  The installation culminates with the BSO event that sees villagers and outside communities join together for the switching on of the big tree with an appearance by Santa.

This all starts with the delivery of the small trees to the co-ordinator’s house (it’s a big yard). The small trees have to be trimmed, dressed with 7m LED light sets, and then installed, at height, on shop fronts, the churches, Fire Station and private houses that have agreed to ‘host’ a tree.

I’m involved with all of the event, and Advent IM kindly gives me the time to participate in the tree dressing/installations that take place on a Wednesday and Thursday prior to the BSO on the last Friday of November.  The BSO encourages people and businesses to contribute monies for the upkeep of the village for NWIB but also for community funded projects like the installation of quality benches for all to use.  ADAS also makes contributions to local charities for food banks and the like, especially at Christmas.

The BSO is followed by the Carols Around the Tree on the Friday before Christmas Day, this is our (ADAS) opportunity to make face to face collections to finish the year and look forward to the new. – Ian Warren, Senior Security Consultant