Kim’s Winter Wonderland to raise funds for Francis House

Mounting electricity costs may mean the Christmas lights may be pared back in some households, but one family in Audenshaw has come up with an ingenious way to decorate their home and spread some festive cheer.

The Ryan’s wanted to put a smile on the faces of their neighbours and the local community by decorating their house whilst raising funds for Francis House Children’s Hospice – a charity close to their hearts.

Home owner Kim Ryan, 35, has decked out her house on Woodhouses Avenue, Audenshaw with stunning Christmas boarding to resemble Santa’s workshop, rows of wrapped presents perched above the door, and a life size Santa.

The magical scene uses LED floodlights to replace the thousands of lights that would normally have been needed to create their winter wonderland.

“With Covid we’ve not had the opportunity to plan much, so this Christmas we really wanted to do something special and raise money for charity,” added Kim.

Dressing the house and providing the props and materials are Kim’s friends and professional event dressers, Manchester based Walter and the Boy. Graphic designer, On trend with James, has also donated his time and expertise in creating the magic.

The dressing of the house will be completed the week commencing December 5, and Kim has planned a magical Christmas song event at 6pm on Saturday, Dec 10.

Kim’s daughter Hattie, aged 7, together with friends from Footlights Failsworth, will be performing Christmas songs, singing carols and collecting for the charity.

Kim wanted to give something back to the charity that supported her family when her son Cameron was diagnosed with a brain tumour at two years-of-age. He died four years later in 2010.

“Both myself and Cameron were supported the whole time by Francis House,” says Kim. “We’d both go for respite care. The hospice is filled with amazing people who loved Cameron just as much as I did. He smiled every moment he spent there.

“They do all the stuff that you shouldn’t really have to do as a parent, so you can just be a parent. I just cuddled him and played with him and they did all the medications. He passed away peacefully there in 2010.

“Cameron has been gone for twelve years now, but I’ve never lost that family connection with the hospice. Hattie looks forward to visiting every year on Memory Day,” said Kim.

Based in Didsbury, Manchester, Francis House cares for more than 550 families of children and young people with life-limiting conditions. The hospice provides a range of services including respite care, homecare, sibling support and end of life care and bereavement support. The hospice relies on charitable donations to fund the majority of its £12,900 daily running costs.