One of Scotland’s most festive streets returns with spectacular display

Lavender Drive, dubbed one of Scotland’s most festive streets has been lighting up their local community by raising money for good causes with their attraction for four years.

Local resident, Lesley Strivastava, has been decorating her home with lights since the neighbourhood’s first display in 2020.

Lavender Drive, Newton Mearns (Image: Colin Mearns)

Lesley from Lavender Drive (Image: Colin Mearns) She said: “We started doing the lights because one of our neighbours at the start of Covid was given a terminal cancer diagnosis.

“It was just at the start of lockdown so he couldn’t see his family or anything, it was a really tough time for them.

“He has since passed away, he was only 37.

“I think it started with everyone doing their tree in the garden. We wrapped them with white lights and then the roof lights so it’s quite effective when it’s dark.

“This year we’re raising money for Isobel Mair, the local school for kids with learning difficulties.”

(Image: Colin Mearns) In their first year, the street raised more than £5,000 for the Beatson Cancer Charity.

In 2021, they raised £22,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Last year, the street chose the Accord Hospice and Young Lives Vs Cancer for their donations.

This year, the neighbours have decided to fundraise for a local cause the Isobel Mair School and Family Centre.

(Image: Colin Mearns) Lesley went on to share one of the reasons why she and the neighbours in her street have kept going with the tradition.

She added: “A couple of years ago there was a family and a woman, maybe in her 40s, she said she was from Larkhall.

“She said this summer my dad’s died and my mom has been really down so I said ‘Why don’t we just go and get some Christmas coffees from Starbucks and get in the car and play some Christmas music and go and see those lights?’ She said the lights just lifted her spirits.”

One happy toddler who came to enjoy the lights was Tommy Duncan who was with his mum and his gran.

Tommy was ‘wowed’ by the lights (Image: Newsquest) Mum, Hayleigh, says the two-year-old was wowed by the lights.

She said: “I just know that he would love all the lights, and it’s for a good cause as well. I knew that they were going to be doing it for charity so I thought if we come down and pop some money in the bucket as it helps a good cause but also he feels a bit more Christmassy.

“He saw a dinosaur, Santa and he got even more excited when he saw something else.”