The giant Christmas tree has been installed in Winchester Cathedral – marking the start of the festive season – thanks to the generosity of the Friends of Winchester Cathedral.
The team of gardeners, the works department and a cherry picker were all employed to bring in the 24ft spruce tree, hoist it into position and then dress with lights and top it with a star.
The Very Revd Catherine Ogle, Dean of Winchester Cathedral said:
‘We are so grateful to the Friends for continuing to support one of the great Christmas traditions at Winchester Cathedral. The arrival and installation of the giant Christmas tree is a cherished practice that is still going strong, and we hope it brings a real sense of the joy, wonder and hope within the Christmas story to all that visit over the coming weeks”.
This year there are four extra trees to discover in Winchester Cathedral, including a Tree of Hope, where visitors can share their hopes and prayers for the coming year by adding a personal message to the tree., and three more trees can be found around the Cathedral, each with their own themes of Faith, Light and Love.
The amazing Winchester cathedral Christmas market is open until 22nd December.
Each year the giant tree is generously funded by the Friends of Winchester Cathedral, an independent charity that was set up in 1931 to support the Cathedral. The Friends have 3000 members in Winchester, Hampshire and beyond and provide annual grants to the cathedral to support its musical tradition and much much more.
