An awe-inspiring 60ft Christmas Tree will be the centre-piece of festive celebrations at The Forum this year.  On a par with the famous Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree in London and as tall as The Forum itself, the magnificent spruce will be a fantastical sight. It will also provide a focal point for Norwich’s Christmas celebrations, including being a part of the official City Lights Switch-on on 19th November, which last year attracted over 5,000 people.

Illuminated with 10,000 individual low carbon emission LED lights, the Tree promises to be a truly spectacular sight, casting a magical glow over Millennium Plain and the surrounding area.

The Tree is a gift to Norwich from The Forum Trust, the organisation that manages The Forum, with generous support from the Elveden Estate and key local businesses: Adnams, City College Norwich, Hales Group, Norse Group and Snelling Business Systems.

The stunning tree is a fitting replacement for the ice-rink which has adorned The Forum’s outside space for the last six years. Whilst a popular sight, the number of skaters using the ice-rink has declined in recent years, leading The Forum Trust to look at new ways to animate The Forum this Christmas.

Robin Hall, Chief Executive of The Forum Trust, said: “We are continually seeking ways to keep The Forum fresh and exciting for everyone who visits. With its great height and festive lighting scheme, we hope that the Tree will be a source of pride for the people of Norwich. It will also be an attraction in itself and importantly is free for everyone to enjoy, whatever their age. We see it very much as a focal point for other activities and celebrations at The Forum and in the centre of Norwich in the weeks leading up to Christmas”.

The tree has been sourced from the Elveden Estate near Thetford, one of the UK’s largest suppliers of display Christmas trees with approaching 40 years experience.  The Forum Tree will be harvested from Kielder Forest where Elveden manage plantations to produce trees of its size. To find a 60ft high tree in the forest could take Forestry Foreman, Tony Richards many hours, over several days, to satisfy himself he has found the ideally shaped tree. The Forum’s species will be a Picea Sitchensis and could weigh up to four tonnes.

The tree will take two days to harvest involving up to seven people, as it is not a case of felling the tree directly to the ground but lowering it gently so as to preserve the shape and quality of the branches. Initially the tree will be climbed, and a strap looped around the stem, before it is connected to a 360° tracked machine, felled with a chainsaw and lowered.  It then passes through a uniquely designed baler, which takes up to a day, before being placed on an extended articulated trailer totalling 85ft in length.

After an overnight journey to Norwich, the tree will be lifted and positioned into a custom-built stand weighing over 25 tonnes which is fabricated on site. Lighting the tree is then expected to take 6 days using a special cherry picker.

When the Tree is removed it returns to Elveden to be chipped and recycled to act as weed suppressant for other plants. All Elveden trees are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, denoting sustainable management. Aspects of this include using bio-fuel, replanting more than twice as many trees as are felled and carrying out all work within conservation constraints, to name just a few.

“A landmark within a landmark”.  The Tree’s arrival date at The Forum and its compelling line-up of supporting activity will be confirmed shortly…

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Kelly Turner
The Forum Trust, 2 Millennium Plain, Norwich
DDI: 01603 727980 or Email: