Foresters give the gift of Christmas

Experts from the Forestry Commission have launched Operation Christmas Tree this week to ensure some of the region's leading public venues and civic sites receive an extra touch of festive sparkle.

Foresters are carrying out the operation to fulfil orders in time for the seasonal celebration, as well as running busy public Christmas tree sales centres around the region, including the Forestry Commission's largest outlet in Britain at Cannock Chase Forest, near Rugeley in Staffordshire.

For the 10th year running, the Forestry Commission has donated the largest of the trees, a 35-ft Nordmann Fir tree, to the Birmingham Children's Hospital. Timber haulers, Benbow Brothers (Timber) Ltd from Shrewsbury will help manage the operation. Doug Stanley, Christmas tree manager for the Forestry Commission in the West Midlands, said: "We're very proud to be supplying so many of the trees that will be in public places around the West Midlands, including the tree we donate to Birmingham Children's Hospital each year. There's no substitute for a real Christmas tree.

"This year's biggest tree will look stunning outside the hospital for everyone to see. Cannock and Ludlow are some of the few places in Britain capable of supplying large civic trees to venues like this."

Throughout the festive season people can admire the tree outside the hospital on Steelhouse Lane, which will be covered with hundreds of Christmas lights and decorations.

The official switching on of the lights will take place on December 2 at 5pm. A child from the hospital will be chosen to switch the lights on and a choir will be singing Christmas carols.

Malcolm Faulkner, Birmingham Children's Hospital fundraising manager, said: "We're really grateful to the Forestry Commission for providing our real Christmas tree over the past decade.It always looks fantastic lit up outside the hospital and helps brighten those dark winter days for the children as well as visitors."

Forestry and haulage experts are felling and transporting more civic Christmas trees around the region to brighten up businesses and public venues such as Lichfield Cathedral and Manor Hospital, Walsall, which can be seen on Moat Road.

The Forestry Commission at Cannock Chase has also donated real Christmas trees to 18 local schools and colleges, as part of an environmental education project run by Cannock Chase Council.

For people who don't have space for a 35-ft tree the Forestry Commission sells more modestly sized trees at its sales centre on Cannock Chase. Visit www.forestry.gov.uk/westmidlands for more information. All trees come from sustainable sources.

The Forestry Commission sells more than 50,000 Christmas trees nationally every year, and for every tree harvested, at least another one is planted. The organisation is also doing its bit to go easy on customers' pockets as the credit crunch takes hold, by freezing the price of Christmas trees at its three West Midlands sales centres. Varieties including the Nordmann Fir, Norway Spruce and Lodgepole Pine will be available starting from £15.