On Wednesday 25th October nearly 2500 envelopes containing details of this year’s campaign were franked at Lanyon Bowdlers Solicitors and delivered to Wellington Royal Mail for posting to supporters of the Telford Tree of Light. Further envelopes with details and forms have been taken to Telford Shopping Centre and to other places throughout the Telford area where they can be picked up by anyone wishing to remember a loved one, especially during Christmastime.
The Tree of Light gives people the opportunity to commemorate the names of their loved ones. These names are then displayed around a Tree in the Telford Shopping Centre and in other locations around the borough of Telford & Wrekin. They are also printed in the local paper, the Telford Journal, and on the Tree of Light website. Over 5,000 names are now regularly remembered each year. In addition to the opportunity to commemorate the names of loved ones, applicants are requested to donate a minimum of £5 per name to local charities. Fifty percent of the funds raised are given to the Severn Hospice with the remaining fifty percent shared between local charities nominated annually by each of the four Rotary clubs.
This year, as well as the Severn Hospice, the Telford Tree of Light is supporting Shropshire, Staffordshire & Cheshire Blood Bikes, Wellington Cottage Care, Shropshire Disability Network and Dementia UK [Admiral Nurses Telford & Wrekin].
On Tuesday 31st October a Tree of Light working party, known colloquially as the ‘Blue Peter Group’ met for the first time in this campaign to open returned envelopes and to process names and donations received from our supporters. Chair of the Telford Tree of Light organising committee, Rotarian Max Clowes. said, “The first response has been amazing. Today we have received over 200 forms that remember almost 500 loved ones with over £3000 donated to this year’s Telford Tree of Light. We are indebted to all our supporters who so dearly wish to commemorate their loved ones at Christmas time.”