Thank you for helping us shine

I am sure a lot of you were among the very many people who explored Durham City over the four days of Lumiere which once again helped us shine on a world stage with images streamed around the globe across press and social media.

Together, the five Lumiere festivals have attracted over 800,000 visitors and the first four alone have jointly delivered economic benefits in excess of £21m. The value of hosting a world-class festival should not be under-estimated and none of it would be possible without the help and support of very many people.

So I am writing to say a huge thank you to you the public for coming once again in their hundreds of thousands to share our moment.

I want to thank all our fantastic staff who worked before and during the event on everything from park and ride facilities, to the clean and green teams who helped to keep the city looking its best, our wardens and highways staff, and our brilliant school crossing patrol star Alan who strummed his way to fame as part of the Common Good artwork.

Many staff worked alongside the 300 volunteer Festival Makers who were on hand throughout helping with

directions and information for the public.

We are also incredibly grateful for the professionalism of the emergency services including Durham Constabulary and the fire and rescue and ambulance services, who helped to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for so many people.

And then there are the very many businesses without whose support there simply would not be a festival of this scale.

Lastly thank you to Artichoke for another thoughtful, inspiring, exciting and unforgettable event. I share the public’s tremendous pride in Durham being the birthplace of Lumiere and we are delighted to have shared it all with the world again. COUN SIMON HENIG, Leader Durham County Council