Wolverhampton's Tree of Remembrance unveiled
A festive monument to remember those no longer among us has returned to a Black Country shopping centre.
The Wolverhampton Rotary Club has officially unveiled its Tree of Remembrance in the Wulfrun Centre in Wolverhampton.
The tree has been part of the festive period in the centre since it was first erected in 2003, being seen virtually last year due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
Chair of the Tree of Remembrance committee Mike Colley said the tree was an opportunity for local people to include their lost loved ones in their Christmas celebrations.
He said: "They are able to put a memory around the Tree of Remembrance of loved ones they have lost and be able to lift a glass to them at Christmas, as well as share their memory with everyone.
"People buy a memory by donating five pounds per entry and they can enter the person's name and words for them on the memory, which is then put on the tree in the Wulfrun Centre.
"I think it brings everyone together by allowing people the chance to remember their loved ones in their own special way and I know people enjoy seeing the memories on the tree."
Mr Colley said the funds raised from the memories would go towards the Rotary Club and said the Wulfrun Centre had been very supportive over the years with the tree.
He said: "It's a very busy shopping centre and what we've found is a lot of the customers over the years have taken part and donated, and the manager of the centre kindly gives us this space for free.
"It's a nice tradition to keep going and while we couldn't do a physical tree last year, people still supported it and help us to raise money for charity while we're there."
The Tree of Remembrance will be in the Wulfrun Centre until Christmas Day.
To find out more about the tree and the memories, go to rotaryclubwolverhampton.co.uk/the-tree-of-remembrance.
