HUNDREDS of people have been cutting, pasting and creating at home with tissue paper and lights to create a stunning ‘outdoor art gallery’ in Saltash.

For the last nine years, the Chamber of Commerce has organised the Christmas Lantern Parade in the town, and it typically attracts around 4,000 participants and spectators, says Chamber member and event organiser Hilary Frank.

“We’re really sad that we won’t be able to host it this year, especially as it would have been our 10th anniversary,” she said.

“But instead, volunteers have been organising a Covid-friendly alternative called the Saltash Window Wanderland.”

Residents have been invited to make a scene using paper to display in an upstairs or ground floor window on the evenings of December 5, 6 and 7.

Participants have registered their location and an interactive map has been created, meaning that people can take stroll through the town taking a tour of all the windows. “There has been a fabulous uptake with almost 200 households signing up to decorate,” said Hilary.

“Bishop Cornish Primary School pupils have made a Narnia scene and Nativity scenes which we’ll be putting in shop windows in Fore Street, and they have done about 80 smaller ones which will be around the shops. And St Stephen’s Primary is doing every single window in their school – there must be 20 or 30.”

The Brownies are decorating their Girlguiding HQ and families on Victoria Road have each taken on a different scene from the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Window Wanderland began in Bristol and this year, Saltash and Bodmin are among 28 places around the UK taking part.

“It should hopefully be a good way of connecting people in these disconnected times,” says Hilary.

Taking part in the event either as a Windowmaker or as a Wanderer is absolutely free, and local business The Scrapstore supported the event by providing materials.

Artist Jill Hudson has provided a tutorial and the video is on the Saltash Christmas Festival Facebook page.

While many streets in Saltash will be part of this wonderful festive art gallery, the idea has also caught on in Landrake and in Hatt!