Charities and community groups who would normally take centre stage at the annual Our Bury St Edmunds Christmas Lights Switch On event are to be celebrated instead in a special day of broadcasting by a local radio station. As there will be no official switch on event this year the Business Improvement District (BID) organising group has teamed up with RWSfm 103.3, which has generously offered its airwaves to groups for whom the switch on was a highlight of their festive season.

This year the events will take place on Friday November 20 which is also St Edmund’s Day and Our Bury St Edmunds is urging its member businesses to celebrate the saint after whom the town is named. Shops will be displaying bunting and flags and some takeaway food and drink businesses will be offering St Edmunds themed goodies as part of the festivities.

RWSfm will start the special broadcasts at 7 am featuring many of the charities who would normally have had stalls at the Switch On event, together with some of the acts who would have performed on the stage throughout the afternoon. Charities to be featured include 1st Bury Scouts, My WiSH, St Nicholas Hospice and The Bury Drop In, as well as many others that cover Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk.

Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds Mark Cordell said: “It’s so generous of RWSfm to devote a day of broadcasting to these very worthwhile causes. We are all disappointed that we can’t have the usual Switch On event but the town will still be lit up in the run-up to Christmas, with the lights this year being switched on in sections.

“We will be holding a special event on the Our Bury St Edmunds Facebook page at 7pm on Friday, just as RWSfm closes its broadcast with a countdown from the Town Mayor Peter Thompson and Father Christmas. The magic will then switch to Facebook for everyone to enjoy from the comfort of their own home – perhaps raising a glass to St Edmund at the same time.”

As well as the charities taking to the airwaves, there will be specially recorded musical performances by Britain’s Got Talent Semi-Finalist Souparnika Nair, Westley Middle School and Suffolk Constabulary Male Voice Choir among others, which will be broadcast during the afternoon. Deputy Station Manager at RWSfm 103.3 Ryan McClean commented: “With so many events being cancelled this year we felt it was important to bring a bit of festive joy to the town.

“The Our Bury St Edmunds Christmas Lights Switch On is always a highlight on the festive calendar, but isn’t just about the lights. The charities who usually attend have also had a tough year so we want to feature as many as possible on the radio.

“We hope people in Bury St Edmunds and West Suffolk will get involved by switching their Christmas Lights on at home whilst listening to RWSfm 103.3 on what is also our town namesake’s special day.”

For more information visit www.ourburystedmunds.com. To listen to RWSfm tune in via smart speaker, visit www.rwsfm.co.uk or at 103.3 FM on the radio.