This Is Guernsey

Rotary Club chairman of community service David Parish was one of many hands making light work yesterday of transforming the SeaGuernsey mast once more into the Tree of Joy. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0872801)

THE SeaGuernsey mast has once again been turned into a giant Christmas tree.

Workers and volunteers transformed the mast on the Weighbridge roundabout yesterday to highlight the Rotary Club of Guernsey’s Tree of Joy campaign, which aims to give presents to deserving children in the island.

David Parish, chairman of community service for the Rotary Club, said the team had been lucky with the weather.

‘It was forecast that the bad weather Saturday would clear but you are never sure,’ he said. ‘We must have done something right.’

Staff from Marine and General Engineers and Bob Froome spent about three hours getting the mast ready before Rotary volunteers put the lights up.

Mr Parish said the tree – now in its fifth year – had become an iconic Christmas feature locally.

‘We were trying to find out if there were any bigger light trees in the UK and we don’t think there are,’ he said.

‘It’s 30 metres high and we have the luxury of it being on the crossroads as you come into Town.’

Rotary president Jurat Peter Girard initiated the Tree of Joy campaign 13 years after seeing a similar scheme of presents being donated to deserving children in Australia.

‘This is the focal point for our Tree of Joy campaign,’ he said. ‘Taking part in the campaign is a nice thing for people to do and it is all for Guernsey children.’

Article posted on 16th November, 2009 - 2.29pm