Normally a real Christmas tree is something bought from a garden centre, or that “guy who appears on a street corner for a few weeks”, but a new initiative has been set up to deliver trees across London – and support jobbing performers at the same time.
Green Elf Trees has been set up to provide job opportunities to out of work musicians and entertainers who would usually be busy performing during the festive season. With the current situation, a lot of festive events have been cancelled – so that’s a lot of department store Santas looking for work, not to mention the elves, musicans, panto actors and the like.
(c) Green Elf Trees
The trees themselves come from a South West grower – and previous supplier to the Crown Estate and The Ritz London if you want your trees to be posh.
In addition to their range of trees, they also offer decorations focused on natural materials, and a ‘Responsible Tree Collection Service’ after Christmas — if your local council doesn’t already do that.
If you’re responsibly worried about the carbon impact of chopping down trees, it’s generally found that a plastic tree is far worse than a real one that’s been recycled after it’s used.
Table Trees start at £34.99 and larger ones at £49.99.
For each tree ordered, Green Elf Trees will donate £3 to a charity of the customer’s choice (either Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Shelter or Dogs Trust).
Just don’t expect the musician to sing on delivery.
More details and to order a tree are here.
I hope the musicians are being instructed in safe working practices in their new, hopefully not to be repeated, job.
Got to ensure their ‘elf and safety.
(Sorry, someone had to do it, this time it was me.)