It seems far higher looking down than up, says Roary
THE star was added to the Rotary Tree of Joy on Saturday, in readiness for the lights being switched on this Thursday.
Guernsey FC mascot Roary the Lion was hoisted to the top to do the honours.
His keeper said afterwards that Roary found it seemed far higher looking down from the top than it did looking upwards.
The work took out the inner lane of the roundabout and Roary did his job to the sound of several horns from passing traffic.
The star is usually put in place on a Sunday, but having been postponed last weekend, this was brought forward 24 hours in view of strong winds being forecast.
Rotary Club of Guernsey community services chairman Andy Salisbury said he was grateful to Traffic and Highway Services for allowing the switch.
A lit Tree of Joy will be on the Weighbridge roundabout for the 14th year, but the initiative has been running since the early 1990s.
‘The tree is really our advert and point of focus for the gift tags campaign,’ said Mr Salisbury.
Each year, tags are made available in various retail outlets. Each one recommends a gift that can be bought for a needy child.
People are invited to buy gifts, wrap them, and return them to the same store, this year by 14 December.
‘Inner Wheel [a sister charity] do a great job of going out to the various agencies and collating a list of underprivileged children,’ said Mr Salisbury.
Gift tags have already been circulated. The number of gifts that are bought each year is never made public but Mr Salisbury said it amounted to hundreds.
He said he was grateful to PwC, The Bank of Butterfield and Guernsey Gas for sponsoring the tree and to Bob Froome & Sons and Marine & General Engineers for handling the practicalities.
Previous people to have put the star on top of the tree include the Lt-Governor Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder, Lady Corder, and then chief minister Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq.
The youngsters who have been nominated by the Guernsey Youth Commission, Jacob, Joey and Riley, will be turning the lights on this Thursday at a ceremony that is due to take place at 6pm.
