Tree Dressing Day
Tree Dressing Day Events 2008
Tree Dressing Day is the first full weekend in December
More about Tree Dressing Days
See our 2007 media release
Are YOU holding an Tree Dressing Day Event ?
Contact info [at] commonground.org.uk
to tell us about it.
Scroll down to see events in your area and
please check details before travelling
Common Ground is not the organiser of these events, and cannot be responsible for any alterations or cancellations.
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
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CAMBRIDGESHIRE
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CORNWALL
7 December Carrick 11.00-15.50 Cornwall Wildlife Trust BOOKING ESSENTIAL. Two time slots: 11.00am to 1.00pm and 1.30pm to 3.50pm. Come and make your own Christmas decorations from natural and recycled materials and help us dress Cornwall Wildlife Trust's office tree. Suitable for all ages with adult help. £1 donation requested to cover materials. Leaders: Sarah McCartney and Kirstie Francis. Organised by Fox Club to mark Tree Dressing Day. Meeting Point: Allet, contact Kirstie Francis below for directions. Disabled access provided. The paths are wheelchair-friendly. Contact Kirstie (01872) 273939 ext 203 to book your place.
Saturday Nov 30th Falmouth Green Centre Alternative Tree Dressing Day/ Buy Nothing Day! is an international day of community action that exposes the environmental consequences of consumerism. So why not come along and dress one of the trees on Falmouth Moor from 12noon - 4pm with other peoples rubbish! Hopefully you will feel guilty after getting your consumer fix and will join us for a bit of post consumer recreational activity! Contact Falmouth Green Centre for more information 07875 846159.
DERBYSHIRE
Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th November Calke Abbey 11am – 3.30pm. Help us with preparations for Christmas at Calke Abbey - make a tree decoration and help dress the trees on our outdoor tree trail. Just drop in and use your creative talent. A great family activity for the festive season. 01332 863822 for details.
DEVON
Saturday 6 December Occombe Farm, Torbay 11am – 3pm. Make natural decorations and wreaths to adorn your own Christmas tree. Cost: Children £2. Contact :: Rachel Tapper, Events & PR Officer, Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust. 01803 606035
Saturday 6th December 9am to 1pm. Bishopsteignton. Junction of Fore Street & Bishops Ave.The Ring of Bells inn opposite the tree dressing overlooking the river Teign, will, as part of the days theme of local distinctiveness, be opening as an Oyster Bar in conjunction with Jackson’s fishmongers of Newton Abbot selling Teign Oysters & mussels from 12 to 3pm
DORSET
Saturday 6 December Kingcombe Centre 2-5pm. Celebrate trees. Give trees some winter colour. Design, make and then hang decorations on trees. Accompanied by music with refreshments. £2.00 to include refreshments. (01300 320684) Kingcombe Centre, Toller Porcorum, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 0EQ www.kingcombecentre.org.uk
DURHAM
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ESSEX
Sunday 7th December - 12 - 2pm Parndon Wood Nature Reserve, Parndon Wood Road, Harlow, CM19 4SF. Tree dressing and a wishing tree will be on the agenda! Contact :: Nature Reserve Warden and Project Officer 01279 430005 leanne.block@harlow.gov.uk
Sunday 7 December Norsey Wood Nature Reserve, Billericay Come and celebrate the beautiful giants of the woodland world at our tree dressing event. Use your imagination to create a decoration that will bring the trees to life on this winters day. 13.00pm onwards hanging of decorations 14.30pm. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at the Information Centre - access from Outwood Common Road, Billericay, CM11 1HA. (01277 624553)
Sunday 7th December 12-2pm Parndon Wood Nature Reserve, Parndon Wood Road, Harlow, Essex CM19 4SF Tree Dressing & a wishing tree. Contact: Leanne Block 01279 430005/07720 468869
Sunday 23rd November Langdon Hills Country Park. It's that time of year again, where we dress the old oak tree and give thanks to the trees. We will be joined by the 'Hands Around' Morris Dancers, hot drinks and mince pies. There is no charge but the Morris dancers will 'pass the hat round'. Meet at 2pm at the Beacon Car Park, Dry Street. Langdon Hills Country Park, One Tree Hill, Corringham, Essex SS17 9NH 01268 542066 or 07711 260825
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
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HAMPSHIRE
Sunday 7th December 14.30-16.30. Grange Farm,Little Woodham Lane, Rowner, Gosport PO13 8AB Children’s workshop, family entertainment, tree dressing and candle light procession. Get in to the Christmas spirit without enduring the shopping crowds.(023 9258 8666).
HERTFORDSHIRE
Saturday 6 December 11am – 4pm. First Garden City Heritage Museum. Help celebrate Letchworth Garden City’s trees by making and hanging decorations on the trees in our garden. Residents 50p, non-residents £1, under 16s FREE. First Garden City Heritage Museum, 296 Norton Way South, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire SG6 1SU Contact :: Eleanor Sier 01462 482710
KENT
Saturday 6 December 2008 10.00-12.00 Shorne Wood Country Park. Make decorations for the trees at Shorne as part of Tree Dressing Day celebrations. Children 5-11 years. Free of charge. Address: Brewers Road, Shorne, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 3HX Book through the ParkContact :: 01474 823800/08458247600 Country.Parks@kent.gov.uk
LANCASHIRE (including Manchester)
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LINCOLNSHIRE
Sunday 7 December 10.00 - 12.00 Whisby Education Centre, Whisby Nature Park, Moor Lane, Thorpe on the Hill, Lincoln LN6 9BW. Take some willow, holly, fir cones and anything else one can find, sprinkle with some imagination, mix in with Tree Dressing Day and join in the celebrations of making natural tree decorations to hang on the trees in the Nature Park and to take home. Family fun for five year olds and over. £2. Whisby Nature Park has toilets and hard surfaced footpaths that are suitable for wheelchairs and those with mobility difficulties. 01522 696926 whisby.education@fsmail.net www.lincstrust.org.uk
LONDON & MIDDLESEX
Saturday 2nd December Railway Fields Local Nature Reserve, Green Lanes, Haringey (opposite Harringay Green Lanes train station)1pm - 3.30pm. Annual Tree Dressing Day Event. Come and celebrate our trees at Railway Fields, get creative and make a wreath to take home and to dress our trees in a blaze of colour. A great family activity. Children of all ages can join in but must be accompanied by an adult. Mulled wine and mince pies. Meet at the wooden hut. FREE EVENT 020 8348 6005 for more details : Catherine Price Haringey Project Officer/Railway Fields c/o BTCV Kings Cross, 80 York Way, London N1 9AG Tel: 020 8348 6005 Mob: 07739 447958 BTCV Inspiring People, Improving Places www.btcv.org/london
Saturday 6 December Claybury Woods, Redbridge. 1pm to 3pm Meet at the Ravensbourne Gardens gate opposite Warley Road. Decorate your local woods! temporarily dressing some of the lovely trees with decorations that have been made on the day. Mince pies, hot drinks and carol singers will be there to add to the occasion. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear. No booking necessary. Contact :: Redbridge Nature Conservation Team 020 8501 1426 for more information.
Saturday November 24, between 1-3pm. Minet Country Park Hillingdon is inviting everyone to get involved in this year's National Tree Week (November 21 - December 2) by taking part in an environmentally friendly tree dressing event. Making and dress trees with bird feeders by putting seeds, nuts and fat into a cut branch with holes and hanging them around the park. Contact :: 0208 574 5935.
Sunday November 30 11.00-15.00 Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. Come and celebrate hedge planting and tree dressing in the mystical Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, surrounded by creeping vines and historic grave stones. Free activities include; creative art and craft workshops, face painting, live music, magicians, woodland crafts and lots more! Trees for Cities info@treesforcities.org 020 7587 1320
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
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NORTHUMBERLAND
Saturdays 22nd November and 29th November from 10am - 12pm in Churchill Pavilion, Churchill Playing Fields, Whitley Bay two free craft workshop mornings with Ruth Thompson a willow artist, where we will be making willow stars and angels and other shapes for the Black Poplar Tree we are dressing. AND>>>>>>
Saturday 6th December 4pm - 6pm. - our big event is Tree Dressing Day - "Dusk til Dark". We will have a third workshop at the event, where people can make smaller willow decorations, which they will be able to take home with them - children with family members are very welcome. There will be storytelling, circus theatre, music, juggling, art, and simple refreshments as well soup and a BBQ. Our tree will be hung with solar lights and to be seen and enjoyed over the next three months. We are being supported by the local council, community arts and the local VODA volunteer group. For more information or to book a place at our free craft workshops, please contact Jean Morrison, Secretary :: 0191 2511861. E-mail: allotnews@blueyonder.co.uk or contact Bill the park warden in Churchill Playing Fields. ‘Planting in the Park Group’ is a member of Whitley Bay Community Allotment and Gardens.
OXFORDSHIRE
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SUFFOLK
Sunday 7 December, 1-3pm Needham Lake. Celebrate our 'treemendous' trees. Create your own tree decoration and themed calendar for 2009. Help us decorate a tree around the lake. Meet at Mill Meadow, Needham Lake. Adults and children of any age registration: Not required. Children £2.50 accompanying adults free. Organised by: Mid Suffolk District Council Countryside Service. More details: Booking Office tim.dafforn@midsuffolk.gov.uk 01449 724633
SURREY
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SUSSEX
Sunday 7 December Weald & Downland Open Air Museum HUNDREDS OF LANTERNS TO BRIGHTEN A WINTER AFTERNOON - the annual Tree Dressing at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, at Singleton, near Chichester is a fascinating and unusual celebration for the life-giving properties of trees. Children and visitors of all ages are invited to make a lantern (bring a jam jar and a night light!) for the final procession. The day’s finale as darkness falls is a procession around two magnificent aspen trees, which are dressed with hundreds of lanterns made during the afternoon.
With its origins in ancient customs celebrating the life-giving properties of trees and the natural world, enjoy and join in traditional songs, dances, plays and stories about trees. The lanterns make a spectacular display of colour and light on the trees in the beautiful parkland of the South Downs. Younger visitors are well catered for, not only with lantern making, but also headdress making, Christmas crafts and storytelling. Craft market held in the 15th century Crawley Hall with beautiful and unusual Christmas gifts, and enjoy a warming glass of mulled wine or fruit juice, plus hot mince pies and roasted chestnuts. Open from 10.30am on December 7, Tree Dressing starting at 12.30pm. Visitors wishing to make a lantern should aim to arrive promptly in order to participate in the final procession which starts at 3.45pm. Admission: adults £8.50, over 60’s £7.50, children £4.50, family ticket £23.30, under 5’s free. Contact :: Tel: 01243 811014 www.wealddown.co.uk marketing@wealddown.co.uk.
10th January The Royal Oak, Rye Foreign, Peasmarsh starts 7 to 7.30. Singing around the Apple Tree, blessing, toasting, and loud bangs. Singing of songs in the Royal, squeeze boxes and drinking of cider and strong ale. The Royal Oak is on the A268 between Peasmarsh and Rye, see you there.
WARWICKSHIRE
Sunday 7th December, 11.00-14.30 Kingsbury Water Park. Drop in and get creative, make some beautiful bug decorations to cheer up our Oak tree at this leafless time of year. For children aged 3 to 12 years who must be accompanied by an adult. Cost £1.50 per child. parks@warwickshire.gov.uk Kingsbury Water Park, Bodymoor Heath Lane, Bodymoor Heath, Sutton Coldfield B76 0DY01827 872660
WEST MIDLANDS
Sunday 7 December Lickey Hills Country Park 11.00am, Come and help decorate the winter trees of the Lickeys. Free. The Visitor Centre, Warren Lane, Rednal, Birmingham B45 8ER 0121 447 7106 lickey.hills@birmingham.gov.uk
Sunday, 14 December Malvern Park 11am-1:30pm. Join us to celebrate and recognise the importance of trees. Arts and crafts and a bit of imagination will be needed to transform a selection of trees into living art – the biggest trees you’ll have ever decorated! Contact: 0121 704 8000
WORCESTERSHIRE
Sunday 7th December. 11am till 3pm in Cripplegate Park, St John’s, Worcester. In 2007 the village Twinning association dressed a horse Chestnut tree in blue, white & red whilst the village’s Outdoor Art group created ‘Ladies Dancing’ to hang in trees around the village. Annual Tree Dressing Day will go ahead whatever the weather. Further details from Joint-chair of the Friends Of Cripplegate Park - Margaret Layland, 68 Broadway Grove, St. John’s, Worcester, WR2 5EY. 01905 421849. mlayland@worcester.gov.uk.
YORKSHIRE (including Bradford, Leeds & Sheffield)
Saturday 1 December. 10am Eston & Normanby Grangetown Library. Redcar and Cleveland Council's Library Service and the Countryside Team are joining forces on Tree Dressing Day at Grangetown library to make decorations then walk to Greystones Community Woodland to dress as many trees as possible. All ages are welcome, free. Children must be accompanied by an adult and are advised to wear waterproof clothing.
Monday 1st December National Museum in Cardiff at 1.30pm. Dressing the AIDS Tree. A group of friends who have lost family, loved ones and friends to AIDS will walk from the museum steps 100 yards to the AIDS memorial tree and join together in remembering those now gone. This year we will be reading out the names of some of the people who have died from AIDS here in Wales. If you have a person you wish us to remember please contact us using our dedicated contact page. Ribbons will be provided for dressing the tree. Some people will read poems, short messages of love or say a few words. Some will light tea-lights. In the past year people have spent time at the tree on an individual basis, but on World AIDS Day a lot of people find it good to get together for moral support. Afterwards people depart in groups to catch up and have coffee. If you wish to join us then you will be made most welcome. This is an informal gathering of people who wish to remember all those who have lost their fight with AIDS. Please dress warmly and prepare for possible rain. Last year we looked like drowned rats at the end of dressing the tree, but boy were we all on an emotional high. A huge sense of solidarity and shared love was present that day. Meet at National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP at1.30pm.
Sunday 7 December 12:00 to 17:00 Llancaiach Fawr Manor, Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan, CA11 0UB. Family making of lanterns, masks, garlands and leaf crowns ready for the procession to wassail the apple trees in the orchard. Education Centre - £2 per person. 01443 412248
SCOTLAND
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NORTHERN IRELAND
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AUSTRALIA
5 December, Brisbane, Queensland - All over the world on the first weekend of December communities dress local trees to celebrate our relationship, and our role as guardians and carers of our trees. Covering special trees with wishes, stories, imagery, decorations, love, and enthusiasm is our chance to show the trees how much we value them as part of our community. This is particularly relevant to the older trees we often take for granted but form an important part of the history of the area. UK group Common Ground began Tree Dressing Day in 1990 and you can see pictures, links and stories from around the world on their site.
Choose a tree: When you register, you will receive a support kit. Read the information in the kit carefully and consider the habitat, history, visibility, accessibility and safety of your chosen tree.
Planning: Tree Dressing Day celebrates the role of trees in your community so get your community involved. Plan and research which theme or decorations you would like for your tree and feel free to be creative. For more information, email or phone the CitySmart Education Coordinator in Brisbane on 07 3403 5569.
