Tree of Joy Airport Model (4 January 2019)

For several years a “mini” light tree (about 7metres tall) was erected in the car park at the airport, utilising one of the light poles and old light strings from the Tree of Joy. The idea was simply to promote the charity event and give people coming into the island a feel for what Tree of Joy was all about.

In 2013 it was decided that the whole Tree of Joy event, which had been running for about 18 years by this stage should be looked at and updated. To that end It became evident that the light tree at the airport was not really achieving what we had hoped and the idea of actually building a scale model of the roundabout tree was considered.

AWS Design & Sign Group (AWS) were contacted in mid year 2013 and asked to come up with a design and price for a scale model of the Tree of Joy for display at the Airport. The team of Arthur Pugh and Steve Free at AWS came up with the design and an order was placed, with the guarantee that it would be ready for the 2013 Christmas period. The Director of the Airport was contacted and his permission was gained for the model to sit just inside the departures door in the main waiting room.

In mid November 2013 the Model was put in place and the lights officially switched on by Colin Le Ray, Airport Director. The model has been erected and dismantled and stored every year since by Steve Free from AWS.

A collection bucket is also in place by the model as well as an information banner which tells people what the scheme is about and how they can take part. Each year about £150.00 is collected, which goes towards the gifts for children at Christmas time. This year nearly £200 was collected which included a generous donation from visiting members of the Rotary Club of Mar Dyke Valley in Essex.

The Rotary Club of Guernsey is very grateful to AWS for their support over many years in regard to the Tree of Joy and of course the main sponsors for the Tree of Joy – Guernsey Gas, PWC and Butterfield Bank who also cover the costs of the model year on year.