Warwick Church team celebrate another successful Christmas tree festival

From November 29 until Sunday December 9 St Mary’s Church was host to the annual festival, which saw more than 40 decorated trees places inside the church.

This year the Christmas trees were set among the Warwick Poppies 2018 community tribute. The tribute was also taken down on December 9.

This year’s Christmas tree festival saw around 4,500 visitors voting for their favourite tree and entering the prize draw.

A spokesperson from St Mary’s Church said: “This was our best festival yet and raised much needed funds for the restoration and maintenance of the church.

“There were some beautiful displays of handmade poppies in St Mary’s during the last few days of this wonderful exhibition.

“There were poignant white crosses for visitors to write on about the memories of their loved ones from the First World War.

“David Guest, a volunteer at St Mary’s, made the white crosses from recycled ‘Foamex,’ an idea that came to him when he was looking for material to use for the crosses.

“During the Christmas Tree Festival, we also had a memory tree where visitors could leave messages for loved ones. This will remain in St Mary’s until the New Year.

“With 32 trees from local businesses and community organisations and 11 decorated by young people. visitors were treated to the most gorgeous sights and sounds of Christmas time, with creative and inspiring trees all around the Church and in the Beauchamp Chapel.”

Visitors were able to vote for their favourite tree created by businesses and organisations as well as for their favourite tree created by young people.

The winning tree in the adult category was created by the Warwick Woodloes Townswomen’s Guild. The runner up in this category was Unlocking Warwick’s Christmas tree.

The winner in the young people category was the tree created by King’s High School. The runner up in this category was the tree created by the Warwickshire Young Carers.