WHILE Christmas lights switching-on events have been taking place across the country in recent weeks, Chard Town FC will be holding its own official ‘switching-on’ ceremony next week.

The Robins, who are going well at the top of the Toolstation Western League Division One table, will be playing host to Evo-Stik League Premier Division side Weymouth on Tuesday (December 11) in a friendly due to kick-off at 7.30pm.

The match is being held to commemorate the ‘switching-on’ of the club’s new floodlights — a ceremony which will take place at 6.45pm.

The new lights were installed during the summer and have replaced out-of-date floodlights which had been in place for 30 years and had fallenbelow the required standard.

The club launched a £16,000 appeal back in February last year to help fund the new lights.

It was announced in May this year that the club had the necessary funds following a £6,925 grant from the Premier League’s Football Stadia Improvement Fund, grants from the Football Foundation, Chard Town Council and South Somerset District Council, and donations from local people and individuals.

Representatives of the various groups involved in the project and funding will be at Zembard Lane on Tuesday for the match.

Admission to the game for Weymouth has been set at £5 for adults and £3 for senior citizens.

More off-the-field activity at Chard Town FC this week has seen the formal submission to South Somerset District Council for outline planning permission whcih could see the club move from its present Zembard Lane ground to a new site at Mount Hindrance.

The club’s possible relocation is part of an overall scheme being put forward by Mactaggart & Mickel Homes Ltd in association with the S. E. Blackburn Discretionary Trust to build 450 homes on land east of Mount Hindrance Farm at Mount Hindrance Lane.

On the pitch and Chard Town were held on Saturday to a 1-1 draw at Cribbs Friends Life.