A mum with a passion for creating Christmas lights displays outside her home has told how she changed the illuminations to be one that is specially designed for children with special needs and disabilities.
Kelly Mills has lit up her home in Horfield for a few years to raise money for Bristol’s Children’s Hospital to say thank you for their support, as her children have been ongoing patients there. But many children with special needs find the bright lights, moving figures, noise and loud music accompanying many of the more elaborate Christmas lights displays a challenge.
So after her son was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, Kelly decided to switch her display, to one which is fully accessible to every child, whether they have special needs or a disability or not. The difference is a much more chilled display, which is closer to a sensory room than a loud and brash, action-packed Christmas lights display at other homes in Bristol, which children with special needs may find overwhelming.
It might not be the biggest, brightest, loudest or most elaborate Christmas lights display in Bristol, but the result has been encouraging – last year word spread among the community of SEND parents across the West of England, and people came from across Bristol and further afield to bring their children to see Kelly’s home in Auden Mead.
This year, the display is currently being put together and will be bigger than before, with Kelly raising money through a Just Giving page for the Children’s Hospital’s Shine Bright Appeal. “The world of SEND can be a lonely one for all living it,” said Kelly. “It can be a world where parents and carers have to fight for equal opportunities and support for their children and adults. My SEND display is inclusive to all and that is what is really important to me and my family,” she added.
“I first started doing a display for the children’s hospital because my children are ongoing patients of the hospital, and I wanted to do something as a thank you for all they do for us and those who have to come into the hospital,” she explained. “I have two children under different departments at the hospital. My son has many health obstacles as well as learning disabilities.
“The hospital has always been so kind to us. Without them I would not have known my son has a rare genetic disease. This was only picked up on because of their amazing genetic team,” she added.
So Kelly said the diagnosis made her change the focus of her lights display. “I then switched what my display was about,” she said. “My display for the children’s hospital then turned into a specialised SEND display. I wanted to give it a purpose alongside fundraising for the Shine Bright Appeal. It went from a traditional bright colour display, which you see in Christmas displays to one with a focus. It’s a new passion project of mine,” she added.
The Auden Mead lights display differs in a number of crucial way from the normal Christmas lights displays that have been raising money for charity across Bristol for years. “Most displays have a ‘hands-off’ rule, which is absolutely fine as displays do cost money,” said Kelly. “However mine is not. Children can immerse themselves in the ‘Sen Den’ where there are calming lights inside. They can feel the display. The display is built with sensory in the core of it.
“The display is based on one theme so that children are not overwhelmed. I have used my personal experience as a SEND parent to build it around what would be calming, as it can be a bit too much,” she added. Kelly said she wanted to create something unique in Bristol, and she’s proud of her display this year.
“I use just two colours in the display. Blue is used because it promotes calm and security and comforting environments – this is so important for sensory needs. The colour is also used because it reduces stimulation. It also helps to keep focus as well as reducing eye strain. I also use white as I find the two colours work well together. The theme I use is the Arctic, so the colour white works well in that. This has been very popular so I have decided to grow the theme. The only thing I ask with the display is that they have fun but it is respected so others can enjoy it,” she added.
Kelly raised £700 last year for the Shine Bright Appeal, and this year hopes to improve on that. She’s signed up for the map of displays put together by the appeal. She’s busy putting the finishing touches to her display this week and the big switch-on is scheduled for next Saturday, November 30, and a special Father Christmas-shaped guest is paying a visit on December 7 between 5pm and 7pm.
Seeing the joy experienced by youngsters with special needs makes all the effort worthwhile for Kelly. “I do like to personally be around when we get visitors for the personal touch and explain the reason why the display is how it is, help the visitors explore the display – especially the hide and seek games I lay on, where they can search for an item to win a prize, and promote the amazing charity that I’m happy to fundraise for,” she added.
* To find out more about Kelly’s special display, and to donate, visit the Just Giving page here.