Time is Precious will be launching a Christmas Light Trail to help top up funds for the charity, which has seen a reduced income during 2020, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Coleford charity raises funds which enables local hospitals, such as the RUH, to complete projects that they would not otherwise have had funding for and has, to date, donated more than £200,000 to the hospital in the form of equipment and refurbishment projects.

Most recently, Time is Precious unveiled a specialised DVD Player installed in an MRI scanner at the RUH’s radiology department, and another will be following suit at Bristol Children’s Hospital.

Time is Precious was set up in 2011 by Neil and Nicky Halford in memory of their son, Ben, who died from cancer aged just five years old.

They have been raising money ever since to try and help other families who have to spend prolonged periods of time in hospital with their children, to support those through treatment and their siblings too, by making the environment and equipment better for all.

The charity is also in the process of supporting the refurbishment of the anaesthetic room at the RUH at a cost of around £15,000, making it less clinical and intimidating for children and parents.

In 2018, the charity launched ‘Ben’s Gift’, which buys specific equipment for local children in need at home and has so far provided equipment such as walking frames, wheelchairs and eye gaze machines.

The Christmas Light Trail will need volunteers who usually decorate their homes with lights to put up a supplied piece of paper in their window or garden so that it is visible.

The idea is for maps to be sold, so that children can take part in the trail at a time that suits them.

The charity will also be looking for sponsors for each sign - and all sales of the maps and donations from sponsors will go to the charity to help make a difference to seriously ill and disabled children.

Nicky Halford, from Time is Precious, told The Journal: “This year we have had to think outside of the box to raise money, and we desperately want to carry on helping local families.

“The idea is aimed at those that put out lights at Christmas anyway, but if you wanted to decorate your house for the trail, we would be very grateful.

“We hope it will be like a Christmas treasure hunt and aim to do a number of trails in various towns and villages. The more the merrier!”

If you would like to be involved in the Time is Precious Christmas Lights Trail as a point on their map household or to sponsor, please email: contact

[email protected] or find them on Facebook

@TimeisPrecious