An 18-and-a-half-foot-tall Nordmann Fir from Britain’s champion Christmas tree grower has been lit up by the Prime Minister outside No 10 Downing Street, heralding the start of the festive season.
Dartmoor Christmas Tree Farm in Devon provided the Prime Minister’s Christmas tree this year after being named Champion Christmas Tree Grower of the Year in an annual competition run by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA).
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Thank you to everyone involved in producing this year's Downing Street Christmas tree and wreath. It was fantastic to welcome small businesses, charities and local communities to Downing Street today to turn on the lights and mark the start of the festive period.”
Stuart Kirkup of Dartmoor Christmas Tree Farm said: “This is a really proud moment for me and my team at Dartmoor Christmas Tree Farm and gives us a fantastic boost as we begin the busiest time in our year. It is an honour to be named Champion Christmas Tree Grower of the Year and being here to see the lights switched on, on our tree outside No 10 is the icing on the Christmas cake.”
The No10 Christmas tree was decorated by Jane Ingram of The Tree Barn, Watlington, Oxfordshire and Charlotte Gilbert of Woods Barn / Wood Farm Christmas Trees, Solihull.
Friezeland Christmas Tree Farm, Warwickshire, provided the wreath for the door of No 10 Downing Street after winning the Champion Festive Wreath category.
Gower Fresh Christmas Trees, Wales, delivered Christmas trees for inside No.10 after winning Runner Up Christmas Tree Grower of the Year, whilst Hans Christmas Andersen, Guildford, has supplied trees to adorn the inside of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) after winning Best Short Film.
Rory Young, Chair of BCTGA said: “Congratulations to our champion growers, as well as all of our 300-plus members across Great Britain and Northern Ireland whose hard work on carefully managed plantations all over the country bring the joy of fresh, real Christmas trees forming the festive centrepiece of people’s homes across the nation.
“The Downing Street switch-on is the perfect way to celebrate some of the best Christmas tree growers in the business: Stuart and Jennie Kirkup from Dartmoor Christmas Tree Farm, Devon, Toby Ryley and Stephanie Stanley from Friezeland Christmas Tree Farm, Warwickshire, and Robert Morgan from Gower Fresh Christmas Trees, Swansea. A big thank you must also go to Jane and Charlotte who take time out during their busiest time of the year to beautifully decorate the Christmas tree outside No 10.”
The British Christmas Tree Growers Association is managed by farming charity, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.
MEDIA CONTACT
Ben Barnett
PR Officer
Mobile: 01423 546016
Email: benb@yas.co.uk
EDITOR’S NOTES
- The British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) is the trade association for those who grow specialist Christmas Trees in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Visit www.bctga.co.uk and see @BCTGA
- The BCTGA was first established in 1980 and now has more than 320 members.
- BCTGA members abide by a Code of Practice to promote trees being grown in an environmental and sustainable way.
- The BCTGA is managed by Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS), a registered charity which supports and promotes the farming industry through health care, education and funding scientific research into rural affairs.
Find your nearest grower here:
https://www.bctga.co.uk/onlinedirectory