The group responsible for staging Beeston Light Night is also attempting to secure resources to restore a damaged permanent artwork
Beeston Light Night brings temporary installations to the town (file image)(Image: Nottingham Post)
A desperate appeal for public support to rescue a beloved Nottinghamshire community event has been issued after central government financing dried up.
The team behind Beeston Light Night has made the appeal following three editions that each attracted approximately 10,000 visitors and provided a significant economic boost to the town centre.
The no-cost event, staged by the Illuminate the Midlands Consortium alongside the Beeston Civic Society, typically showcases various temporary illuminated artworks throughout the town centre, complemented by entertainment suitable for all ages.
Previously, this highly popular initiative, which launched in 2022, received financial backing through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a programme that succeeded a European Union initiative designed to revitalise British town centres nationwide, along with contributions from Arts Council England.
With that funding stream now exhausted, the Beeston Light Night team is calling on members of the public to contribute financially.
Previously, the UK SPF was distributed to local authorities, in this instance Broxtowe Borough Council, to allocate to community projects intended to strengthen the local economy and draw visitors to the area, though recently responsibility for the budget has shifted to the East Midlands Combined County Authority.
While the team is actively collecting donations for the March 2027 edition, they are simultaneously pursuing resources to repair or replace a permanent illuminated artwork situated at Beeston Interchange, titled A light in Beeston, which the group installed after it suffered vandalism in 2025.
The event is said to have been a big boost to Beeston town centre(Image: Google)
Jeanie Barton, a musician who chairs the Beeston Civic Society, has participated in organising Beeston Light Night since it began and is now leading the fundraising effort for its continuation.
She stated that when the inaugural light night was launched in 2022, it was extraordinarily well-attended, with demand far exceeding expectations.
The initial edition received financial support from Broxtowe Borough Council, while the second year presented challenges in accessing that same funding stream, though the administration led by Boris Johnson introduced an emergency arrangement that enabled the team to secure resources from the shared prosperity fund for both the first and second events, albeit with greater administrative difficulty.
Earlier, the organisers were awarded £20,000 to deliver the 2022 debut, though the UK government subsequently decreased the allocation, reducing it to £15,000 for the subsequent two editions.
Barton continued that everyone involved operates on a voluntary basis and that the process of preparing funding applications is not her particular strength. They managed to assemble the necessary resources, though the amount proved insufficient, yet both events proved successful.
She expressed surprise at the loss of this funding stream, noting that the programme had concluded and was no longer accessible, prompting the appeal for public assistance to stage the event.
The fundraising campaign commenced on Monday, July 6, with the goal of preserving the event following the withdrawal of institutional funding. One potential source involves approaching the East Midlands Mayor, Claire Ward, regarding portions of the budget that superseded the SPF.
Barton noted that EMCCA now manages how this funding is distributed. The team receives whatever amount is allocated, though she believes additional resources should be directed toward supporting high streets.
She explained that staging the event requires substantial expenditure, with approximately £15,000 needed to deliver the programme. Commercial sponsors are essential for making it viable, though she hopes to exceed that target because progress rather than decline is essential.
An EMCCA representative commented that the organisation understands the significance of Beeston Light Night to local residents and the beneficial effect it generates for the area, drawing thousands of visitors and fostering an excellent community spirit.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund was provided by central government and the national initiative has now concluded.
EMCCA assisted in managing the fund during its final year across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, with resources channelled through local authorities, including collaboration with Broxtowe Borough Council, which determined which local projects to support.
Although EMCCA cannot substitute UKSPF funding for occasions such as Beeston Light Night, the organisation acknowledges the significant contribution it makes to the community and extends best wishes to the organisers for their fundraising campaign.
The team is hopeful that local enterprises and residents will contribute sufficient funds to guarantee the light night proceeds as planned in 2027.