Community hero Prabhu Natarajan to switch on Banbury’s Christmas street lights this year

Prabhu will be joined on stage on Sunday November 28 by his six-year-old son Addhu, wife Shilpa, and town mayor Shaida Hussain. They will press the switch-on button at 5pm.

Prabhu delivered hundreds of food parcels to families during the Covid pandemic and was nominated for an ‘unsung hero’ award by local residents after taking over 600 grocery items to needy families during the lockdown.

Prabhu has also received the Prime Minister's Points of Light award for his service and contributions to the community in Banbury.

Since then, he has delivered food to more than 250 families – and helped the community in other ways.

He spent £400 of his own money to add to donations from neighbours to buy the goods.

Switch-on day will see fairground rides and hot food stalls in High Street and Bridge Street. Choirs will perform on stage in the build-up to the switch-on and a Santa’s grotto will be available for children.

The fairground rides, food stalls and grotto will open at 1pm. The stage will be outside the town hall and a fireworks display will follow the switch-on.

Cllr Hussain said: “It will be great to have the Christmas Lights Switch-on event back again after it was cancelled last year because of the virus.

“Prabhu is the perfect ‘local hero’ to have the honour of pressing the magic button.

Prabhu added: “This will be a dream moment and the chance of a lifetime for my family and me.”