Vanessa Williams, star of the West End said: “It’s such an honour to be here on Oxford Street to help kick off the festive season and support the incredible work of Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. Christmas is a time for joy, hope and giving back, and seeing these beautiful lights shine tonight reminds us all of the magic that can happen when a community comes together for such an important cause.”

This year, the UK’s favourite shopping street has partnered with GOSH Charity to inspire visitors to spread a little festive joy. In the ultimate celebration of Christmas cheer, Oxford Street will play host to Big Day of JOY to raise vital funds for GOSH Charity on 7th December, transforming the iconic destination into a vibrant hub of festive activity.

Dee Corsi, CEO at New West End Company commented: “The West End is an iconic destination all year round, but it becomes truly magical during the festive season. There’s a buzz in the air as businesses are pulling out all the stops to make the West End sparkle this Christmas.

Central to that magic is, of course, our incredible lighting displays. Nothing captures the festive spirit in the West End quite like the starry decorations that will illuminate the street from tonight, marking the beginning of Christmas in the capital.

This year, we’re once again collaborating with Great Ormond Street Hospital, whose team helps give seriously ill children the best chance, and childhood, possible. We’re proud to support their incredible work throughout the festive season and, on 7 December, we invite you to join us by taking part on our Big Day of Joy. It will be a day filled with festive activities and experiences on Oxford Street, with plenty of opportunities to donate to GOSH Charity.”

Liz Tait, Director of Fundraising at GOSH Charity, said: “We are honoured to be partnering with Oxford Street once again to celebrate the start of the festive season with this incredible light switch-on event. Every donation made to GOSH Charity tonight and throughout the festive period will help make Christmas feel like Christmas for seriously ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital – from decorating trees with the Play team to carol singing with the Chaplaincy team. Together, we can bring joy and a touch of festive magic to the wards, and give more children the hope of many more Christmases to come.”

GOSH Charity exists to help give seriously ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). Donations to the charity fund vital support services for children and their families such as the Play team and free family accommodation, life-saving medical equipment, ground-breaking research and the building and refurbishment of child-focused facilities.

Throughout the festive period, members of the public can make donations via the Oxford Street website. Every donation will help make a big difference to the lives of seriously ill children and provide the hope of many more Christmases to come. To help make every moment matter this Christmas for seriously ill children at GOSH, visit www.gosh.org/christmas.

The light display provides a spectacular backdrop for visitors to explore the wonders of London’s ultimate festive destination and it’s also environmentally conscious, having been made from recycled polymer and features more than 300,000 LED star lights which are 75 percent more energy efficient than standard bulbs. The stars will be illuminated for a reduced number of hours this year from 4pm to midnight.

Oxford Street’s Big Day of JOY (Sunday 7th December) in support of GOSH Charity is set to dazzle with on-street performances, unmissable in-store activities, and a plethora of festive experiences. Visitors are encouraged to gather their friends and family, wrap up warm, and head to Oxford Street for a day of festive fun, community spirit, and holiday magic – there’ll be a chance to give something back too by donating to GOSH Charity.

Oxford Street will be brimming with Christmas activities, from the ever-popular Santa’s Grotto at John Lewis, featuring a Santa Paws experience for four-legged friends to the brand-new Christmas shop at IKEA, a welcome addition for 2025. Explore the spectacular Selfridges’ Christmas Shop and discover exciting pop-ups throughout the store, created in collaboration with Disney. Shoppers can feast on special festive dishes at Market Halls, before heading to the new Games Hall for even more seasonal fun.

A true destination for dining this Christmas, visitors can also indulge in a luxury private dining experience at the 1864 Rooftop Bar & Kitchen — keeping out the cold while enjoying panoramic views from their cosy festive igloos. The M&S Food festive range needs no introduction, offering perfect platters and elevated at-home dining options for all your hosting needs.

For gifting and party-season essentials, browse the likes of Reserved, Zara, MANGO, and more to wrap up your Christmas shopping in just one street visit. For a personal touch? Visit Pandora and Swarovski for in-store engraving, and discover the new Jewellery Hall on Selfridges’ third floor.

Stay up to date with the festivities @oxfordstreetw1. For festive inspiration, details on Big Day of JOY, or to donate to GOSH Charity, visit www.oxfordstreet.co.uk and www.gosh.org/christmas.

Photo credits: David Parry/PA Media.

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As a multi-disciplinary house, the performance venue hosts a wide variety of different types of productions, and Marc acknowledges that initially some touring companies were hesitant to perform under LED lights. Experience, however, taught them otherwise.

“Some companies came in with preconceived notions – concerns about coluor rendering, intensity, or beam quality,” said Marc. “But once they saw what the Rêve units could do, most of those doubts disappeared. LED technology has come a long way, and today we’re able to get excellent results across a wide range of applications.”

“An example is how the Rêve F-3s offer us all the flexibility we had with traditional fixtures, but with far better colour control, consistency, and energy efficiency,” continued Marc. “They’ve made our setups faster and more precise. Honestly, they’re a great replacement.”

Purchasing the Rêve fixtures was one of the steps Marc has taken to convert the venue to an all LED system. This year, l’Eden added six Maverick Storm 2 Profile fixtures and two Rogue Outcast 2X Washes to its house rig.

“The potential is already clear,” Marc said of the new fixtures. “Having motorized LED fixtures in the venue gives us a lot of creative flexibility. I’m glad that Chauvet offers IP20 fixtures, because IP65 is often unnecessary in venues like ours.”

Prior to embarking on his journey to an all LED system, Marc upgraded the theatre’s lighting capabilities by acquiring a ChamSys MagicQ MQ250M Stadium console. “We needed more universes to control our fixtures, and this console offered the right combination of features and price,” he said. “I had a solid introduction to the system via Rémy Rouvoy, while Victor Faré familiarized us with the lighting fixtures.

“Prisme Éclairage, who handled the integration and provided excellent support throughout the project also deserves a lot of credit,” continued Marc. “And of course, a big thank you to the Ville de Saint-Jean-d’Angély, since as a municipal performance venue, this kind of investment depends heavily on the City’s support.”

The investment is already paying dividends in a multitude of ways. One of which can be felt in the comfort level inside the theatre. Marc notes that there has seen a drop of about 7°C in the venue during the summer, which makes a real difference for both the artists and the audience.

“The space feels less stuffy and more pleasant overall,” he said.  “On top of that, the lighting quality is better, and the response from visiting productions has been encouraging… even from those who were initially hesitant about using LED!”

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EcoVadis is a globally leading platform for documenting the sustainability performance of companies. The organisation also supports supply chain analysis and compliance to help identify risks and comply with statutory provisions such as the German Supply Chain Duty of Care Act.

 The evaluation includes 21 sustainability criteria across categories such as “Environment”, “Labour and Human Rights”, “Ethics” and “Sustainable Procurement”. After receiving its first award in 2024, ERCO not only maintained its silver status this year, but also improved its score by 3 points. By being awarded, ERCO ranks among the top 15% of over 100,000 companies assessed in 2025. In the overall evaluation, the specialist in LED architectural lighting achieved 92 out of 100 points – just three points shy of the gold medal. ERCO performed above the industry average in all categories.

“We view sustainability as an integral part of our corporate strategy. For us, as a medium-sized company not yet obligated to report on sustainability, assessing the status quo of our processes was an important step – and winning the Silver award again is a great success. The EcoVadis classification and the improvement in our overall score confirm our consistent commitment to sustainable production and the application of our lighting solutions. The motivation to achieve gold certification is strong and we will continuously improve our corporate processes in line with sustainability criteria”, says Marcus Schramm, General Manager of ERCO.

The Silver Medal is not only an important milestone for the company itself, but also a decisive factor for project partners. For example, criteria for a sustainable, transparent supply chain on the manufacturer’s side are confirmed by the EcoVadis award.

ERCO Greenology is the sustainability strategy for developing durable luminaires. Through the “Lighting Durability” approach, ERCO designs and builds products with a service life of at least 20 years. The products are highly effective in use: Thanks to high-precision lighting technology systems developed in-house, light is directed precisely onto the target surface without scattering losses. This ensures light is used only where needed.

Image © ERCO GmbH, www.erco.com.

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For its 2025 season, ETO presents The Elixir of Love and The Rape of Lucretia in repertory, touring a diverse range of venues across the UK. Supporting this ambitious tour is White Light (WL), providing technical expertise and equipment to realise the creative vision of Lighting Designer Jamie Platt and Production Electrician Joe Kirk.

Jamie’s approach to lighting opera is deeply rooted in musical storytelling. “In opera, the narrative unfolds as much through musical leitmotifs as through sung text,” he explains. “Lighting becomes a second layer of narrative. I can shift the look of the stage simply because of an oboe or a violin.” This sensitivity is vividly expressed in The Elixir of Love, where a pivotal aria sees the lighting transform to reflect Nemorino’s emotional world. “We leave reality behind and enter his head and heart,” says Jamie. “The scenic practicals begin reacting to the music, shifting from naturalistic tones to colours that lift with the love and angst he’s feeling.”

In Lucretia, Jamie’s lighting takes on a more stylised role, shaping atmosphere and symbolism. “We use deep orange tones on white muslin drapes to visually disrupt a feminine space, reflecting the antagonist’s intrusion and the opera’s thematic tension.”

Touring presents unique challenges, particularly when moving between traditional theatres and concert halls. Jamie designs with adaptability in mind, favouring booms over overhead fixtures to streamline rigging. “My job is to make it as easy as possible for Joe when the shows are in-and-up in a single day,” he says.

Joe Kirk, ETO’s Lead Production Electrician, ensures Jamie’s design is faithfully executed in every venue. “ETO is all about making opera accessible,” Joe notes. “That means transforming non-traditional spaces into fully realised theatrical environments.” His work begins with detailed venue assessments and continues through close collaboration with Jamie to maintain consistency across the tour.

To meet the demands of varied infrastructure, the lighting rig is designed to be largely self-contained. “Using LED fixtures not only supports ETO’s environmental goals but also reduces the infrastructure we need to tour,” says Joe. The rig includes ETC Halcyon Titanium, Ayrton Diablo, and ETC Lustr 2 fixtures—selected for their reliability, versatility, and quality of light.

Jamie praises the Halcyon units for their punchy output and excellent diffusion options, whilst Joe highlights the importance of thorough prep and clear build methods to support local crews. “Some venues may only host one large touring production a year,” he explains. “It’s vital that everyone understands how the show goes together, regardless of experience.”

Joe adds, “From prep to performance, the team at WL have supported us every step of the way. I’d especially like to thank Dom for being so easy to work with.” Reflecting on his six years with ETO, Joe shares: “The most rewarding part has been bringing full-scale opera to communities that rarely experience it. Overcoming the challenges of each unique venue makes every performance deeply worthwhile.”

Dom Yates, WL’s Head of Lighting, comments: “Working with ETO over the past two years has been a joy. This collaboration demonstrates how technical excellence and creative partnership can bring world-class opera to communities across the UK – making every venue, no matter its limitations, a stage for powerful storytelling.”

As The Elixir of Love and The Rape of Lucretia continue their tour, ETO remains committed to its founding principle: “Opera that moves.”

Lighting Designer: Jamie Platt.

Lead Production Electrician: Joe Kirk.

Programmer: Stephen Settle.

Production Electricians: Graeme Smith, Ciaran Lillis.

Placement Student: Luis Callender (Production LX), Thea Bulgin (Design).

Image: Courtesy of Richard Hubert Smith.

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It was the first time that Robe iFORTE LTX Follow Spots – running on RoboSpot remote following systems – were used for a live music show in India.

The RoboSpot system – six iFORTE LTXs and four BaseStations – was supplied to Anirudh’s production and the show’s main lighting contractor, Bangalore-based Reynolds, by SSL Media from Mumbai. Guru and Vinod were hugely excited to be using the system for the first time in this context and to be trailblazing such technology in India.

They had pushed to get the iFORTES and the RoboSpot system on to the show, as they really needed a super powerful follow spotting solution to cover the long throws around the site, as well as fixtures that could hit the main stage and the B-stage with ease. The flexibility of RoboSpot made it a perfect choice.

Wrapping up the “Hukum” tour – which started in February 2024 at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Dome – in Chennai (also his hometown) meant expectations were sky high for a memorable and magical production, and everyone on the crew and creative team worked tirelessly and diligently to ensure that Anirudh fans were treated to a night to remember.

Vinod has worked as the artist’s LD since 2020, and for this tour, 369 Design Lab’s Albin Biju was the assistant LD, also running and integrating lasers into the show. In addition to co-ordinating all the lighting, Vinod and Guru liaised with the various other visual disciplines involved, including Pixadoo who took care of all things video, the centerpiece of which was a large 144 ft wide LED screen filled with cool bespoke content.

This massive screen was also a starting point for the lighting design, explained Guru, stating that all three of them at 369 Design Lab like specifying Robe products whenever possible. MegaPointes, Spiiders, BMFLs, Tetra2s and TetraXs are frequently on their designs, and they think the brand is “reliable and solid”.

They had been wanting to use iFORTE LTXs for a while and jumped at the chance to get them in for this show with its demanding long-throw follow spotting requirements.

The six iFORTE LTX fixtures were deployed on four delay towers left and right of the stage, one each on the outer pair of towers and two each on the inner towers.

These effortlessly beamed across the substantial throw distances to stage B, which was right in the middle of the concert ground, and they were also highly effective despite the brightness of the LED screen.

“The power, focus and sharpness of the zoom even when very tight is really impressive,” notes Vinod, with Guru adding, “It was fantastic to be able to hit that B stage from almost 200 ft away and for the beams to keep a super-sharp focus, even when tightly zoomed in!”

One song – “Pathikichu” – was lit completely in red, and even with this concentration of deeply saturated colour, the iFORTE LTXs shone through and picked up the artist with no issues.

Albin – who was calling the spots while Vinod ran the console – highlighted that they wanted to have the four spot ops nearby at FOH so they could audibly hear the cues if necessary… without him having to try and make himself heard over the cans – which can be noisy and mushy, especially for a highly animated show.

This close proximity also allowed Albin to develop a semaphore (hand signal) system for the follow spot ops as backup – a great testament to the practicality of Indian can-do thinking.

Guru and Vinod were delighted with the results. “The organisers and producers could also clearly see the difference in quality of the light in the artist, and they appreciated why we insisted on having them for this epic show,” Guru concluded.

Five manual follow spots were on standby to also cover the stage if needed, but only one was utilised as the RoboSpots proved so efficient.

The biggest overall challenge for the show was the rain – it was still Monsoon season in India – and 24 valuable hours of on-site prep and programming time were lost due to torrential downpours… but everyone pulled together in a superlative team effort to ensure that Anirudh’s end-of-tour show was filled with a host of visual surprises and sent the audience away with long-lasting memories of a brilliant performance and an unforgettable night out.

Photo credit: Irshad Pookollathur.

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The nationwide tour introduces school students to real technicians working in industry, helping them understand the diversity of technical careers and the pathways that can lead to them. For Tridonic, participation aligns closely with its Tridonic 360 People pillar, which champions education, skills development, and meaningful engagement with young people considering a future in STEM.

Growing up in the village of Piercebridge near Darlington, Troy first discovered his passion for engineering whilst at senior school, repairing motorbikes alongside his father. He began his journey with Tridonic during his sixth form studies, completing a T Level that saw him undertake weekly work experience within the maintenance department. Today, he plays an active role in preventative maintenance, breakdown repairs and bespoke LEAN projects, supported by experienced colleagues across the facility.

During the BBC Bitesize panel sessions, Troy shared the personal motivations that shaped his career direction: “I first knew what I wanted to do after I started fixing motorbikes with my dad in Year 9.”

He also described the strong support network that has been key to his success: “I particularly enjoy the people at work; it feels like a friendly community and I always know who to ask if I need help or a chat.”

Despite early challenges commuting to site, Troy encouraged students not to worry about mapping their entire future immediately, explaining that engineering offers a wealth of different roles and opportunities.

Tina Taylor, Training Coordinator at Tridonic UK, commented: “We are delighted to support the BBC Bitesize tour and incredibly proud of Troy’s achievements. His journey demonstrates the value of apprenticeships, hands-on learning, and the supportive culture that we foster at Tridonic. Engaging with young people forms an important part of our Tridonic 360 People pillar commitment, helping create a strong pipeline of talent for the future.”

Troy’s involvement highlights Tridonic’s dedication to developing capability from within and promoting technical careers to young people. His participation not only celebrates his own accomplishments but also showcases the opportunities available within Tridonic and the broader engineering sector.

The post Tridonic UK inspires future talent through BBC Bitesize Careers Tour appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

A Midlands renewable energy and lighting manufacturer has secured a prestigious international defence contract to supply thousands of custom-designed lights for the flagship aircraft carrier of the French Navy.

Voltacon Energy Systems, which is based on the Burnsall Road Industrial Estate in Coventry, has been awarded a £100,000 contract by the French Ministry of Armed Forces for the Charles de Gaulle warship after impressing military engineers with its advanced LED lighting for the UK’s Royal Navy.

The order for 10,000 tube lights follows a long-standing relationship with the UK Ministry of Defence, which saw Voltacon supply over 20,000 specialist LED bulbs for vessels including the HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Prince of Wales, Type 45 Destroyers, and various Royal Navy frigates.

The lights will now be packaged and delivered to France for the engineers on-board the Charles de Gaulle to fit in the autumn.

A spokesperson for the French Ministry of Armed Forces said: “We have partnered before with Voltacon to upgrade our own lighting network with very positive results.

Having a first-hand account of the project on our own aircraft carriers, it was only logical to extend this offer to the Charles de Gaulle.

After extensive testing, we concluded that our overall electrical characteristics improved and that this solution was far more cost, time and environmentally effective than replacing the fixtures themselves.”

Stefanos Kandilidis, Managing Director of Voltacon Energy Systems, said the deal reflected growing cross-border collaboration under NATO’s framework for shared innovation and procurement.

“This relationship began at a defence engineering conference where a senior MoD engineer introduced us to their French counterparts,” he said.

“They were looking to renovate and modernise the lighting systems on the Charles de Gaulle.

After testing our strobe lighting, we received positive feedback particularly regarding improvements in brightness and energy efficiency, and the elimination of magnetic interference that had plagued older fluorescent systems.”

Voltacon’s lights underwent rigorous trials before being selected for full deployment on the Charles de Gaulle – a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

“We’re honoured to play a part in modernising such an iconic vessel,” Stefanos added. “This is more than just a business deal – it’s validation of our engineering capabilities and the trust placed in us through the NATO network.

“Any NATO country can now source our products without going through extended compliance checks, giving us a direct route to supply defence projects across Europe and beyond.”

Voltacon now has its sights set on expanding its footprint in global defence supply chains, including the U.S. Department of Defense.

Stefanos said: “We’re building a strong reputation for problem-solving in complex environments like naval ships.

This latest project could be the springboard to even bigger opportunities within NATO and allied forces.”

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To better serve its growing Spanish market, Chauvet is planning to open the company’s first sales and service centre in Spain, supported by its newly expanded distribution centre in Belgium.

Located in southwest Madrid near some of Spain’s largest event rental companies, the new office joins existing Chauvet facilities in Belgium, France, Germany, and the UK to strengthen the company’s ability to deliver comprehensive lighting, and power solutions to entertainment professionals across the continent. The purpose-built modern facility will be responsible for the Chauvet brands, allowing the company to offer complete solutions to lighting professional throughout the Spanish market.

“This is a very significant milestone for our company,” said Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “We have built solid and rewarding relationships in the Spanish market and have been blessed to have our products used at many of the nation’s most prominent events and venues. With the opening of our new facility, we will be able to work with our colleagues in Spain to build on this success and achieve even greater things in the future.”

The Chauvet Spain office will be run by highly regarded lighting industry specialist Eusebio Romero serving as operations manager, and supported by an experienced international commercial and marketing team that will take its business to the next level.  In addition to handling parts shipments, the facility will be responsible for sales and technical service. A large section of the building will be devoted to a demo area where lighting professionals can participate in product learning sessions conducted by highly skilled Chauvet Product specialists.

Chauvet says it intends to increase staffing at the facility and expand its mission as customer demand continues to rise. Industry professionals looking to join this exciting opportunity in Spain are invited to email ESPSales@chauvetlighting.es for more information on vacancies.

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Raytec, based in Ashington, manufactures all products in-house and provides specialist LED lighting solutions for hazardous, industrial, transport, and security applications. By obtaining an EPD through Recolight’s One-Off EPD service, Raytec now has verified environmental metrics for its flagship products; supporting transparent communication and reinforcing its commitment to sustainable lighting.

This milestone highlights the flexibility of Recolight’s One-Off EPD service, which is designed for generating a small number of EPDs or for ad-hoc product-level declarations. The service is delivered using the One Click LCA platform and independently verified for publication by EPD Hub. Raytec’s declaration is now publicly available on the EPD Hub platform.

From data submission to Recolight to publication of the finished EPD took less than 4 months.

Max Robson, Environmental Metrics Manager at Recolight, commented:“We’re proud to have delivered our first One-Off EPD for Raytec’s SPARTAN Linear range. This is the first step in our commitment to helping lighting manufacturers navigate the complexities of product-level environmental reporting. This new service opens the door for more companies to showcase their sustainability credentials in a meaningful way.”

Gemma Millington, Project Manager at Raytec said: “The SPARTAN Linear is a high-performance LED lighting solution designed for hazardous area installations, engineered to deliver extreme levels of durability for Zone 1 and Zone 2. So it was a logical choice for the company’s first EPD. Working with Recolight meant we obtained our EPD rapidly and cost-effectively.”

Recolight’s EPD services are delivered in partnership with One Click LCA and are part of a broader mission to support sustainability in the lighting industry. By offering One-Off EPDs for product families, Recolight provides manufacturers with the tools they need to meet growing market expectations for sustainability data, and contribute to a more transparent, environmentally responsible future.

For more information about Recolight’s EPD services, visit www.recolight.co.uk.

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The 13-digit UMSUG (or charge) codes are assigned to individual solutions, and enable the Unmetered Supplies Operator (UMSO) and Meter Administrator (MO) to accurately calculate the electricity usage for each unique luminaire.

The codes allow for accurate billing when unmetered supplies are being used, and the usage has to therefore be calculated by the network operators. The use of the codes enables the accurate calculation of energy consumption, which in turn reduces the risk of over or under payments for the amount of electricity used.

Using charge codes also supports improved operational efficiency. Not only does it save time and resources when compared to metered applications, it also allows for better auditing of equipment and forward planning with regard to energy consumption and maintenance.

LEDVANCE’s range of streetlighting solutions have the ability to save significant levels of energy – up to 60 percent – when used instead of conventional HID (High-Intensity Discharge) lamps. LEDVANCE offers within the UMSUG Program 17 different LED replacement products for HID conventional Lamps, like HQL (High-Intensity Quantum Dots) LED and NAV LED, in different sizes, light colours and wattages, with a light output up to 11 700 lumen.

Nelo Neves, Managing Director from LEDVANCE said: “By adopting UMSUG codes for a wide range of our streetlights, we are simplifying billing for many of our clients. There are many reasons to switch to LED streetlights for energy efficiency and improved lighting; and the addition of UMSUG codes makes the LEDVANCE solutions even more appealing.”

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