It is a very merry lead up to Christmas at Sherford, with an array of celebrations taking place across the growing new town. Standing proud and shining brightly in the local square is a 20ft Christmas tree, a gift to the community from the Sherford Consortium – a partnership between Taylor Wimpey and Vistry Partnerships, which includes Linden Homes and Bovis Homes – to mark Sherford’s seventh Christmas since construction started and the fifth since residents arrived.

During this, the season of goodwill, it has become a festive tradition for the Sherford Consortium to make a charitable donation to support local good causes. This year, £150 has been gifted to Sherford Vale’s PTA to send each child home with a chocolate Santa treat, and help fund its literacy drive to encourage and engage children in reading. A further £150 is being donated to Plymouth Foodbank, to support its worthy work in the city.

This community-spirited town has its own celebrations planned too, with Santa and his elves travelling around the streets of Sherford by sleigh from 4pm on Saturday December 17. This will be followed by carols by candlelight during an outdoor celebration round the Christmas tree from 6pm on Sunday December 18, complete with mulled wine, hot chocolate, face painting, and food and drink stalls. Sherford Community Hub will host a pop-up showcase of local artists and makers, giving Christmas shoppers a chance to grab some unique gifts and last-minute treats.

Richard Plant, Acting Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey Exeter – part of the Sherford Consortium – said: “Sherford is a community that truly gets into the spirit of Christmas and embraces the festivities with enthusiasm. We are pleased to help deliver some Christmas cheer with a tree in the centre of the town and make a donation to deserving local causes. We love sharing this special time of year with those who have made Sherford their home as well as the wider local community.”