Richard Iles decorates his house with 235,000 Christmas lights to raise funds for the Taxi Charity

Last year, Richard Iles, a homeowner in Winterbourne Down near Bristol, decorated his house with more than 150,000 Christmas lights, raising over £15,000 in aid of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans.

For Christmas 2025, Richard is taking the display to an extraordinary new level by adding a further 85,000 lights and creating what is expected to be the largest, or certainly one of the largest, domestic Christmas light displays in the UK.

Richard, who travels to Normandy each year for the D-Day commemorations, has become very familiar with the Taxi Charity and our work supporting veterans. He was thrilled to attend our veterans' Christmas lunch in 2024. Inspired by our dedication to helping veterans of all ages, including those who served on D-Day, he is proud to use his extraordinary Christmas display once again to raise vital funds in aid of our charity.

Richard Iles said: “A display of this scale simply wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support around us. Our sponsors are unbelievably generous year after year, and I can’t thank them enough for helping us make this vision a reality. I’m also hugely grateful to my incredible father-in-law, who works tirelessly alongside me, often in the cold and rain, late into the night, to build, test and perfect every part of the display. His dedication is what brings these lights to life, and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved together. Supporting the Taxi Charity means a great deal to me; their unwavering commitment to veterans is inspiring, and I’m honoured to play a small part in helping them continue that vital work.”

Paul Cook, Vice Chairman of the Taxi Charity, said: “As a small, niche charity that is wholly reliant on donations, we are incredibly grateful to Rich for choosing to support the Taxi Charity again in 2025. The effort that goes into creating this spectacular display is truly Herculean, and we can’t wait to witness the big switch-on.”

The official switch-on will take place at: 58 Church Road, Winterbourne Down, Bristol, BS36 1BY at 6pm on Saturday 29 November.

The display will remain illuminated 24 hours a day until Twelfth Night.

Richard is fundraising in aid of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans and donations can be made via his JustGiving page:

www.justgiving.com/page/richard-iles-4

Photos from Christmas 2024