OSWESTRY mayor Councillor Mark Jones will be switching on the Tree of Light next month as the town's Rotary Clubs are returning for festive celebrations.

The Rotary Club of Oswestry will be bringing back its Tree of Light appeal centred once more on the Christmas tree in Festival Square outside the Square One Cafe Bar on Friday, November 26 from 5pm.

The event, which will raise funds for headline charity Midlands Air Ambulance plus Young Carers in Oswestry, Severn Hospice, Lingen Davies and the Marches Riding for the Disabled group.

Santa Claus and his elf helper will also be there mingling with the crowds to have their photo taken with the spectators.

Meanwhile, many businesses around Oswestry are also supporting the Tree of Light campaign by becoming appeal sponsors or hosting Tree of Light collection boxes to receive Christmas shoppers' loose change.

Grateful for this support, club president Dave Griggs has also been pleased by Oswestry's shop owners' enthusiasm for his campaign to ask businesses around town to display a "We Support The Rotary Club of Oswestry" sticker in their window.

He said: "Oswestry businesses have been wonderful supporting our 'Tree of Light' and 'Sticker Competition', helping us to raise much needed money for local charities."

There will be a competition with a winning prize of £25 for those who spot the most stickers around the town by December 31 and it costs £2 to enter.

Entries should be made on a sheet of paper with the entrant's name and contact details together with the list of businesses where the stickers have been spotted.

Drop off the entry form at John Davies Investment & Mortgage Services, 22 Willow Street, Oswestry, SY11 1AD.

Donations of £5 may be made to the Appeal funds by texting TREEOFLIGHT to 70085. Multiple texts are welcome with each one costing only £5 plus one standard rate message.

Donors are able to add 25 poer cent Gift Aid to their donation during the process.