The installation of the giant Christmas tree, generously funded by the Friends of Winchester Cathedral, is one of the key events that heralds the arrival of the festive season at Winchester Cathedral.
This week, the task of bringing the magnificent 24ft spruce tree inside and installing it began, as the team of gardeners and the works department hoisted the tree into position. The tree was then dressed with lights and topped with a star, using a cherry picker.
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 practise 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”.
There will also be four extra trees to discover in the 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. The remaining three trees can be found around the different areas of the cathedral, each with their own themes that represent Faith, Light and Love.
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.
The Friends provide annual grants of £70,000 to the Cathedral. These funds pay for the Girls’ Choir, two boy choristers, the Broderers, the maintenance of the trees and paths in the Close, as well as the Cathedral Christmas tree each year.
The members of the Friends enjoy an extensive programme of talks, trips and events. During previous lockdowns, the talks moved online to Zoom and every few weeks around 100 Friends enjoyed coming together to learn about various historical topics connected with the Cathedral.
