Tree of Joy lights are taken down for another year

Club coordinator Nigel Dorey said they had been blessed this year with two clear days to get the 32 metre high light show on the weighbridge roundabout up and down.

‘We have had two days with hardly a puff of wind, while the eight weeks in between were probably the worst weather we have ever had,’ he said.

‘I don’t think I have ever seen a sunrise while we are working, normally we are shrouded in mist and rain and have to cancel at least once.’

Volunteers from the club gave up two hours of their Sunday morning to take down the 32 lights string and 60kg star which will now be stored at Stan Brouard until next year’s campaign.

The light tree is the focal point of the Rotary Club of Guernsey Tree of Joy campaign, which provides Christmas presents for children who might not otherwise receive a gift.

‘It has been our busiest year ever,’ said Mr Dorey. ‘700 gifts were donated, tagged, wrapped and delivered. Huge thanks to all the members of the public who supported us and our sponsors PwC, Savills and Butterfield.’

Last year Mr Dorey had been called out some 20 times to deal with issues with the tree, but despite the battering from Storm Darragh at the beginning of December, this Christmas he was not needed at all.

‘We have lost one light string which will have to be replaced,’ he said. ‘We owe a big thank you to Matt Clark at Island Electrics who designed our new system which has saved us a lot of headaches.’

One of the volunteers coiling up the light strings was the Rotary Club's president-elect, Carla Bauer, who takes over as the head of the 100-year-old club in July.

‘It’s great to be part of such a wonderful team to help with the Tree of Joy,’ she said.

‘It has been going from strength to strength every year and we are already planning next year’s event. It is brilliant the whole community of Guernsey engages with the initiative.’