Christmas Tree Festival returns to Newark Parish Church with record 137 trees

Step into a winter wonderland of festive delights and sparkling lights with the return of the Christmas Tree Festival.

This year is the 14th Christmas Tree Festival to be hosted in Newark Parish Church and sees a record 137 trees decorated by schools, businesses, community groups and charities.

Trees can be viewed daily from 10am to 4.30pm on week days and 12.30pm to 4.30pm at the weekend, with the festival running until this Sunday (December 11).

Speaking about the event, festival organiser Rita McCall said: "This will be the 15th year but we had one year off for covid.

"In the two years since covid, the festival has come back with even more people and groups wanting to take part, which I didn't expect. This year will be a record with 137 trees."

Several organisations will be taking part for the first time such as Protect Newark's Green Spaces and a Steampunk-themed tree ahead of the Steampunk market in Newark town centre this weekend.

"There are a number of groups that have been coming back to us for several years and it's nice to see them return,"said Rita.

"I had a team of more than ten helpers getting the trees into the church, putting them into bases and positioning them before an electrician came to lay all the cables.

"I always suggest that entrants do something to represent their organisation or make it seasonal but I have no idea what the designs will be so this really is the fun part."

Trees don't have to be traditional as Village Chic set up a Santa themed bed themed and Argent Theatre entered a pink tree decorated with pink roses and bras.

Rita said: "This year we have two hat trees knitted by Coddington WI and a group called Palace Pearls. They will go to the homeless once they have been used, which I think is a brilliant idea.

"There is something for all tastes and in the build up to Christmas people can come in and go out with a smile on their faces."

Children from the Sir Donald Bailey Academy in Newark were decorating a tree themed around their studies.

School principal Jo Knapp said: "We link the baubles in with our school theme, which is reading, so they are all book related.

"It's a whole school initiative, from three-year-olds all the way up to our year six have made baubles.

"The children have really enjoyed it. Reading is our big focus and this is an ideal way to celebrate reading and writing through Christmas decorations."

This year will mark the first time the Newark and Sherwood District Council tenancy office has taken part in the festival.

Tenant engagement officer Venessa Cookson said: "All our decorations have been made by tenants and quite a lot of them have comments about how engagement has improved their lives and interactions, which is what we are all about."

Some decorations were crocheted by a severely sight-impaired woman, who created coffee cup baubles for the tree to represent tenant coffee mornings.

Newark Flower Club have taken part in every festival since it began. This year their tree follows a platinum theme as the club celebrates it's 70th anniversary.

Members dressing the tree said: "It's beautiful and it's fabulous seeing everyone's designs.

"It really enhances the Christmas spirit in Newark and brings people into the church who do not normally."

The main sponsors of the event are Larkin and Co Solicitors and Tallents Solicitors.

Admission is £2.50 for adults and 50p for children.