Ilkley’s Christmas Tree Festival, held at St. Margaret’s on Queen’s Road on 2nd and 3rd December, was a huge success. Almost 1,700 people visited the church to enjoy the beautifully dressed Christmas trees, music and refreshments in this beautiful church.
Over 30 local charities and community groups each dressed their own tree to create a stunning display of Christmas trees. Visitors enjoyed spine-tingling performances by Outside the Box, school choirs from Addingham Primary School, Moorfield and Ghyll Royd schools and the children of our Ukrainian guests in Ilkley. Performances by Steph and her Sax, Ilkley Singers, St Margaret’s Choirs, West Yorkshire Rock Choir and Ilkley Choral Society helped to put everyone in a festive spirit. There were tempting cakes and treats on offer donated by Booths, Co Op, Marks and Spencer and Tesco. And some gorgeous home baked goodies from St Margaret’s very talented volunteer bakers.
This year’s Christmas Tree Festival also included the Mitten Tree - visitors generously brought a pair of new gloves or a woolly hat to decorate the tree – by the end of the festival the tree was laden with woollies destined for charities providing support to people in need during the cold season. And many children took home a beautiful traditional Ukrainian angel for their own Christmas trees made at the angel making workshop.
It wouldn’t be the Christmas Tree Festival without the chance to vote for your favourite tree! After much counting of voting slips the winner, for a third year, was Nell Bank Education Centre. The stunning blue and yellow tree decorated by our Ukrainian guests came a very close second!
Photo: Nell Bank's winning tree
St Margaret’s would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who visited the festival, our volunteers including students from Ilkley Grammar School, Ilkley’s wonderful community groups, our entertainers, Ilkley Town Council and our local supermarkets for their support. You were all amazing.
Libby Jubb of Nell Bank said, “We really enjoyed taking part in this fantastic festival and the opportunity to highlight the work Nell Bank does alongside other local charities and community organisations. How lovely that we won best dressed tree too!”
Fr Alex Crawford, Vicar of St Margaret’s said, “We were so pleased to put on the Christmas Tree Festival this year. Community groups, choirs, musicians and volunteers all came together to create a stunning event. It was a real celebration of all that makes Ilkley such a lovely place to live. Proceeds from the festival will help to support homeless people and those in need in Bradford through our Christmas charity, Inn Churches, and to keep our church open and serving our community this Christmas. All are welcome to join us at any of our Christmas services”.
Details of St Margaret’s Christmas services can be found on, St Margaret’s Facebook and website stmargaretsilkley.org or by calling 01943 607015.
To enquire about the Christmas Tree Festival 2023 contact Joanne at st.margarets.treefestival@gmail.com.
