This evening was the launch of the Christmas Tree Festival at the Cathedral. The theme this year is ‘what does Christmas mean to you?’.

For many, Christmas is all about welcoming friends and family into our homes and visiting others to spread good tidings and celebrate being together. This fits well with our aim to foster a year-round welcome and place of safety for those who have been forced to leave their home countries due to violence or persecution and who are seeking peace and sanctuary locally.

For our tree we used some of the over 1000 beautiful messages of welcome and solidarity we collected at our Refugee Week and Chester Pride events this year. We also made a fabric garland to spiral around the tree using ribbons with the word ‘compassion’ in many languages, gathered at our 2023 event.

At the base of the tree we have a box of blank fabric diamonds and invite you to take one home, write a message and then add to your own tree to remember those trying to start their lives again in our city.

Of course, our Christmas wish would be for a fair asylum policy (see ‘our vision’) and, for those who do manage to arrive in Chester, to feel the warm welcome the city can offer.

Lastly, remember – a welcoming hello or warm smile is not just for Christmas….

If you would like to visit the festival, it is open now until the 5th January 2025, 10am to 5pm in the Cathedral. There is an entry charge of £5 per person with Gift Aid (£4.50 without), Children 6 – 17 pay £1 with Gift Aid (£0.90 without), and children 5 and under are free. Our tree is in the northern cloister.