Telford Rotary Tree of Light
Max went on to welcome Reverend Paul Firmin, formally of Shrewsbury Abbey, who brought the concept of a Tree of Light to Shropshire in the 1990s. He recalled how he found out about Trees of Light in South Africa when a colleague handed him a small piece of paper on which a remembered name was written. Trees of Light are now found not just across Shropshire but across the UK. Paul said, “One small slip of paper, One giant Tree for mankind.”
Incoming Chair of the Trustees of the Rotary Clubs of Telford & Wrekin Trust Fund, Rotarian Peter Seaward, under whose auspices the Tree of Light operates said, “Once again the Tree has raised a huge amount for charity.” He continued, “The whole operation can only function with the voluntary efforts of Rotarians from each of the four clubs. The full cost of the appeal is met by the business community, other organisations and the Rotary Clubs themselves. This means that the entire amount donated by the public is distributed to the good causes.” The names of those remembered are displayed around the Tree of Light in Telford Shopping Centre, in Wellington Dawley, Madeley, Ironbridge and Oakengates. The names are also published in the Telford Journal and on the Tree of Light website.
Chairman of the Tree of Light Committee, Max Clowes said, “The success of the Rotary Telford Tree of Light has only been made possible thanks to the wonderful generosity of the people of Telford who donate to The Tree of Light to remember their loved ones at Christmas time. The very successful 2018 campaign is now over. Our team is already busy preparing for the 24th year of the Rotary Telford Tree of Light.”
We are honoured to have been chosen to receive 25% of this year’s Tree of Light funds, which overall were split between six wonderful local charities. This money will be put towards our £1.25 million 40th Anniversary Appeal.
