Festive cheer coming as six villages to get Christmas tree

Festive cheer coming as six villages to get Christmas tree

17 October 2018

CHRISTMAS is coming this year to six local villages with the provision of a sustainable festive tree.

Crossgar, Clough, Killyleagh, Castlewellan, Kilcoo and Strangford will be twinkling with trees provided by Newry, Mourne and Down Council.

The move is part of the council’s sustainable Christmas tree pilot scheme which was unanimously adopted at the council’s Active and Healthy Community committee on Monday night.

The idea is to give each location a tree which will be decorated and looked after by the local community association.

Each area will be given a Christmas tree starter pack consisting of a £1,250 one-off illuminations package, £150 towards community planning event or meetings and £1,100 towards a one-off Christmas tree switch-on event.

The trees will be approximately 4.5 metres in height. The dressing of the tree will be down to the relevant community group each year.

The group will decide what Christmas events should be organised while the council will carry out any pruning or maintenance required, along with providing insurance.

Councillor Billy Walker welcomed the approval of the pilot scheme.

“Council officials have gone out and identified areas in relation to where the trees could be planted in prominent areas on council areas with access to electricity,” he said.

“This will be the first council provided Christmas tree that Crossgar has got as previously there was only a tree in the parochial grounds.

“Killyleagh already has a council tree so it will be receiving the starter pack. I’m led to believe that the likes of Newcastle, Downpatrick and Newry will retain their existing arrangement as major towns.”

He said the pilot scheme would help bring some much-needed festive atmosphere to the villages selected. 

“In the past there were Christmas trees that left a lot to be desired quite frankly,” added Mr Walker.

“Some of them were an embarrassment at times. Thankfully this is a way of having an ever-growing Christmas tree which can be maintained properly and will look right as well.”

Councillor Terry Andrews also welcomed the introduction of the trees. He highlighted the planting of a fir tree in Killyleagh last year as an example of sustainability.

“In the long-term, it will save on planting and removing Christmas trees,” he added.