This year`s Aldridge Christmas Tree Festival between 6th - 8th December was the most successful yet with over 60 trees from local businesses, schools and community groups. Run by Aldridge Methodist Church and the Aldridge Village Partnership it coincides with a Christmas Market in Aldridge Village Centre on Saturday.
All proceeds are for the Aldridge Volunteer Gardeners and the Walsall St Giles Hospice. Local schools performed on Friday and a dance school with the Rock Choir on Saturday. "For our first Festival we had 28 trees" explained the Rev Bev Boden, Minister at Aldridge Methodist Church in Anchor Road, Aldridge "but over the years this has grown and we now have over 60 trees."
The sponsors of the trees are a mixture of businesses, organisations, community groups and schools. The Festival gives them the opportunity to showcase what they do in a creative way and help raise money for local charities. Local schools, dance schools and choirs also come and perform during the Festival. Entrance is free but we invite people to buy a token for £1 to vote for their favourite tree.
"We also sell refreshments. Every penny raised goes to local charities and during the previous Festivals we have raised over £10,000", said Rev Bev Boden. "We began by supporting St Giles Walsall Hospice and Rosie`s Helping Hands and for the last 3 years St Giles and Aldridge Volunteer Gardeners." Aldridge Methodist Church is part of the Aldridge Village Partnership.
The Minister believes that Aldridge is a fantastic community. "We love working together with local businesses" she said "and other organisations to raise the profile of Aldridge and showcase what Aldridge has to offer. We usually have over a thousand visitors to the Festival. We hope that throughout the Festival they will find a warm welcome and will be reminded of the wonder of Christmas, that God came among us as a tiny baby, to show us what love is really like".
