Particle.news
Download on the App Store

2,000 Turn Out as Widow Keeps 50-Foot Village Christmas Tree Tradition Alive

The 80-year-old is raising funds for Asthma and Lung UK in memory of her husband.

Overview

  • About 2,000 people attended the December 6 switch-on at Avril Rowlands’ home in Inkberrow, Worcestershire.
  • The fir, bought for £6 and planted with Christopher Rowlands in 1979, now stands at more than 50 feet tall.
  • The couple have decorated the tree using a cherry picker each December since 2004, establishing it as a seasonal attraction.
  • After gales tore off tungsten bulbs last year, a local firm donated thousands of sturdier LED lights for this year’s display.
  • Donations at the event have exceeded £25,000 over the years, with this year’s collection directed to the lung charity.