Hidden away in a church in Whitley bay there is a community Christmas tree festival. This new event allows businesses, community groups and schools to come together to decorate a tree in their own style. We visited the festival to see some very festive and creative trees.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 They said will I come and switch on the lights but I think we've got lots of lights already
00:06 which is wonderful. I think it's such a great community participation and lots of the businesses
00:13 have joined in and put in trees, entered trees into the competition and all the schools so
00:20 just a lovely start to Christmas I think for the town.
00:24 This new event has been set up by the Colourcourt Women's Institute and they asked so many businesses
00:29 community groups and schools to decorate their very own Christmas tree all with a theme.
00:36 And after a lot of events by the WI this year the people of Whitley Bay and Colourcourt
00:40 wanted more.
00:42 Well the idea came from one of the local businesses, The Bound, who after we had finished the coronation
00:48 event said what are you going to do next and the initial reaction was nothing but then
00:54 the float of the idea of having a community Christmas tree festival and we're always up
00:59 for a challenge at the WI and so we decided that we'd come down and see Reverend John
01:03 at St Paul's and float the idea.
01:07 From then it's just escalated really. We contacted some businesses, some of the local organisations
01:12 and the schools and they were very keen to take part.
01:16 Now the only thing we asked was that the businesses, organisations and schools reflected what they
01:23 did when they decorated their trees.
01:25 You can see they are absolutely amazing. All I want to do is thank you so much everybody.
01:30 It's just filled our hearts with joy.
01:33 And of course the trees did not disappoint.
01:36 From the police cadet tree with the police tape to Signature's tree which was bathroom
01:41 themed and even had an angel toilet brush.
01:44 There was even a dinosaur tree and a huge tree from Fiesta that included decorations
01:49 from past Fiestas in Whitley Bay.
01:52 As Anclaves officially opened the festival, members of the public were able to vote for
01:56 their favourite tree.
01:58 And throughout the weekend the church will be open for people to come in and take a look
02:02 at the festive creations that have been put together by members of the community.
02:07 Children and those with disabilities were able to go and see the trees during quieter
02:11 times during the day so they can still enjoy the festival but during an easier time.
02:16 But that isn't all. The organisers also decided to support even more of the community.
02:22 There's not really a lot of money in running it so we wanted some money to go somewhere
02:28 and thought what about the food bank.
02:30 One of the local schools that's taken part, Marden Bridge Middle, they've asked their
02:34 children to bring food and if they come over the weekend to the event to bring tins so
02:40 if anybody else wanted to do that we're more than happy.
02:43 Anything that helps a local charity as well as the local economy and the community.
02:50 It is hard to pick a favourite Christmas tree but the festival definitely gets you into
02:55 the Christmas spirit.
02:56 [Music]
03:03 (piano music)