Christmas tree festival was a sparkling success in Stratford
THE annual Christmas Tree Festival at the United Reformed Church in Stratford was a tree-mendous display of seasonal sparkle featuring designs of all shapes and sizes.
Visitors to the church in Rother Street during the two-day festival last Friday and Saturday, could vote for their favourite tree with the dresser of the most popular winning a decorated cake.
About 80 votes were cast for the 31 trees on show by church members and friends of the church.
Ann Jones of the United Reformed Church said: "The winning entry was Pill Packet 1, decorated by Ann Walters, using old pill packets, which we collect for recycling. We raised approximately £200 to be split between GAGA - Goodwill and Growth for Africa UK - our chosen charity for this year
and church funds. Despite a busy schedule at this time of year, Santa dropped by at lunchtime and was visited by 30 children."
Among the many trees on display there was the Queen’s Tree in memory of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, a St Basils charity tree to highlight its work with young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, Stratford Foodbank also had an entry, as did Alcester Dementia Café.
There were two designs of Pill Packet trees which were eye catching but endorsed the benefits of recycling and energy saving.
The two trees were decorated with empty medicine pill packets that had shiny gems glued to them and twinkled in the natural sun light filtering through the windows of the church - therefore no electricity needed.
Heart of England Woodturners had items for sale at the front of the church.
