Stepping into Christmas: Grimsby tree picked ahead of unveiling

Taking pride of place in St. James’ Square, the 22ft Nordmann Fir, the same height as last year's tree, was grown locally by Strawson Woodland at their plantation near Louth, is ready and waiting.

This was made possible through a generous donation made by North East Lincolnshire Council’s waste management contractor, Newlincs Development Ltd.

Newlincs Development operate the energy from waste plant at Stallingborough and the community recycling centres in Grimsby and Immingham.

Alongside this tree, another will be placed outside the Community Recycling Centre (CRC) in Grimsby to get everyone in the festive spirit.

Operations director Sharon Hunt said: “At Newlincs we love Christmas and we’re thrilled to be donating a fabulous Christmas tree for Grimsby town centre this year.

“Our award-winning staff at the Grimsby and Immingham Community Recycling Centres will be pulling all the stops out again this year with their salvaged and upcycled tip decorations.

“Their efforts help raise thousands of pounds for local charities and good causes, we’re grateful to everyone who visits and makes a donation.

“We hope we can help spread some Christmas cheer around Grimsby town centre this festive season with this wonderful tree. Merry Christmas everybody!”

The tree will be the centre piece of the Great Grimsby Christmas Festival taking place on Saturday 22nd November, from 12pm to 7pm across the town centre.

This much-loved community event offers a wide range of free activities, live entertainment, and seasonal treats to enjoy together and kick off the festive season. Events will take place across St James’ Square, Riverhead Square, Grimsby Minster and Freshney Place.

Some of the highlights of this year’s festival include:

• The Main Stage at St James’ Square, sponsored by Keepmoat, will feature a packed programme of live music throughout the afternoon, spotlighting brilliant local talent including Spencer Booth, Palm Trees of Venice and Lola + The Cosmic Gateway. As a sponsor, Keepmoat continues their commitment to the community – creating places people love to call home.
  
  
• The Community Stage at Riverhead Square, sponsored by Orsted, showcasing festive favourites and carols with All For One Choir, Grimsby Symphony Orchestra, Back to Brass and more. 
  
  Lauren Little, Senior Stakeholder Advisor from Ørsted said: “We’re so proud to be sponsoring the community stage again this year. The event brings a magic time for Grimsby to get together and enjoy the festivities. Our teams are looking forward to attending with our families.”
  
  Shop at the Merry Makers’ Market on both St James Square & Riverhead Square for handmade gifts, crafts, and seasonal goodies from brilliant local traders.
  
  
• Treat yourself to tasty food & drink options from authentic German sausages and Yorkshire pudding wraps to mulled wine and Baileys hot chocolate.
  
  
• Get a Festive Glow Up with Free Face Painting from JelliNelli
  
  
• Winter Wonderland opens at Freshney Place: Meet Santa and his elves along with his snow princesses, for a photo opportunity along with taking part in festive themed arts and crafts. To support the event, Freshney Place and its car parks will be opening until 7pm on the festival day.
  
  
• ​As part of the festive activities taking place in the town centre this Christmas, Freshney Place is proud to also host the Have A Heart Campaign – a heart-warming initiative inviting visitors to donate gifts for local children who might otherwise go without, running from Monday 10th November to Wednesday 17th December.

Councillor Hayden Dawkins, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Visitor Economy, said: “It’s great to see the final piece of Christmas coming together.

“A tree is a seminal part of the celebrations and we can’t wait to show it off in all its glory. Additionally, we’re proud to say it has been locally sourced, ensuring the Council are helping local firms where possible.

“I urge everyone to come down to the Christmas festival if they can, it’ll be the perfect way for families and friends to kick off the period and get into the spirit of things.”