Rotary Club Tree of Light Festival

The Tree of Light Dedication Ceremony, held on Sunday 27^th November, has again proved an extremely valued part of the build up to Christmas in Princes Risborough. It has also been a fantastic fundraising event supporting Rennie Grove Hospice Care and the Rotary Club charity fund. Early indications are that the over 600 dedications will have raised more than £6,000.

This year’s Dedication Ceremony enjoyed good weather and an excellent attendance. The service was led by the Reverend David Williams and the Tree lights were switched on by Town Mayor Andy Ball. Risborough Choral Society provided a very seasonable opening to the Ceremony. Several Rotarians were present, including Club President David White.

Rennie Grove has for many years organised “Light up a Life” services across Bucks and Herts and indeed held one for a period in Princes Risborough. This was unfortunately discontinued due to repeated vandalism. Our own Tree of Light started in 2008. We saw mutual benefit in joining with Rennie Grove, and so it has proved, with over £75,000 raised. Funds are divided between Rennie Grove and the Club. Rennie Grove do include our Tree of Light in their list of “Light up a Life” services and help with the Dedication Ceremony, where an attendance of 300 – 400 is now the norm.

The Dedication Boards, situated close to the Tree, include the names of all those being remembered and are updated regularly. The dedications are also usually published by the Bucks Free Press in January.

The door to door distribution of leaflets by Rotary Club Members has been a vital ingredient of the project’s success, as the overwhelming majority of dedications are made on these forms. Dedication Forms do also appear in local publications.

Risborough Town Council has been very supportive of the project and agreed 3 or 4 years ago to take over the provision and care of the lights on the Tree. The Tree was getting bigger and becoming increasingly difficult for us to maintain. The Council’s involvement has resulted in a professionally dressed Tree which provides a splendid welcome into Princes Risborough for those entering via Aylesbury or Longwick Road.