Melton's Christmas tree festival 'is just like a fairytale'

Melton Christmas tree festival opens to the public - Natalia Bahrova by the tree provided by Ukrainian guests of Melton

Melton’s Christmas tree festival has become as much a part of the town’s festive celebrations as turkey and mince pies.

And this year’s event is once again a breath-taking treat – 237 trees beautifully decorated and twinkling everywhere inside St Mary’s Church.

The festival had it’s preview evening yesterday (Thursday) and it opened to the public today, with people of all ages queueing in large groups outside.

The trees have been provided by community groups, charities, businesses, schools, emergency services, youth groups and churches, each adorned with decorations specific to them all.

Melton Christmas tree festival opens to the public

One of them most striking trees has been supplied by Ukrainian people who have come to live here this year after fleeing the war in their country.

One of them is Natalia Bahrova, who resettled in the town with her husband their children, aged 11 and 16, after fiercing fighting in their home town of Kharkiv.

Natalia, who was serving visitors in the church cafe today, gazed around at the twinkling lights and said: “It’s just like a fairytale.”

Karen Balding, chair of the organising committee, revealed that it very nearly didn’t happen this year.

Melton Christmas tree festival opens to the public - Phil and Karen Balding, who helped organise it this year

She told the Melton Times: “A lot of people who have organised it in the past retired from doing it this year so we ummed and aahed about doing it.

"We decided to go ahead with the festival but we didn’t start until later than usual and it does take a lot of organising.

"There is a big intake of breath when you first see all the trees with their lights on – it is an amazing sight.”

Among the standout trees is one supplied by Storehouse, the Melton foodbank.

Melton Christmas tree festival opens to the public - the spartan tree supplied by Storehouse, the Melton foodbank service

It is a very sparse tree with barely any adornings and carries a message ‘Imagine if your food cupboard was this bare’, in a nod to the ongoing cost of living crisis affecting so many people this Christmas.

Pepper’s – A Safe Place, which supports people with mental health issues with Melton drop-in sessions, have supplied a striking wooden tree.

Among the innovative trees is that of Melton Afternoon WI, which celebrates 100 years of the BBC.

The festival runs until Tuesday and is open until 8pm this evening and up to 3.30pm and 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Admission is £2.50 with accompanied children getting in free.