An Ice Christmas tree for the homeless will be built at the Great Northern Warehouse on Wednesday 5 December.
What?
An Ice Christmas tree will be created in the Great Northern Warehouse square. The public will be invited down from 1:00pm – 7:00pm to bring gifts, wrap them and put them under the tree. At the end of the day, these will be collected and later distributed to the homeless by partner charity Penny Appeal. The Booth Centre will be accepting 100 presents for their service users and the event will be supported by Shelter.
Where?
Great Northern Warehouse, Manchester, M3 4EN
When?
Wednesday 5 December, at 8:00am – 7:00pm
Photo / Filming Opportunities:
- 8:00am – 2:30pm – Photography/filming of the Ice tree being built
- 8:00am – Interviews with charity representatives
- 1:00pm – Public will be invited to wrap gifts at the gazebos
- 4:00pm – It will be sunset and the tree will be all lit up, making a great shot
- 7:00pm – All the gifts will be under the tree. The tree will also have had some time to melt and so will have a crystal clear quality
Interview Opportunities:
- Jamie Wardley – Director of Sand In Your Eye and in charge of making the ice tree
- Claire Wardley – Director of Sand In Your Eye and in charge of the wrapping activities
- Lindsey Tilston Jones – Regional community fund raiser for Shelter
- Akif Ehsan – Fundraising campaign manager for Penny Appeal
- Charlotte Vale – Fundraising development officer at the Booth Centre
- Bez Burrow – Director of Bezmond, who will be filming the days activity
- Emma James – Representative of the Great Northern Warehouse
- Amy Banks – Representing Hallmark who are supplying the wrapping for the presents
Artists from Sand In Your Eye will be carving a 3.5 metre tall Ice Christmas Tree in Manchester on Wednesday 5th Decemeber between 1pm and 7pm and invite you to come and place gifts under the tree to give to the homeless.
“Supporting the project are the national charities Shelter, Penny Appeal and a local Manchester charity the Booth Centre. People can bring unwrapped gifts and wrap them on site before putting them under the tree.”, says Claire Wardley from Sand In Your Eye.
“We would like people to bring unwrapped gifts. These may be toiletries, winter warmers such as hats, scarves, gloves and socks, and food such as cakes, biscuits and chocolates. People that use our centre will be invited to share Christmas with us and will each be given a present.” Adds Charlotte Vale from the Booth Centre.
“We are very pleased to be working alongside our partners on this initiative. Penny Appeal has a significant network around the UK and any additional presents will be distributed nationally by our Team Orange volunteers to the homeless in most major cities.” adds Aamer Naeem, CEO of Penny Appeal.
The film director Bezmond will make a short film about the day which will be available online. The #IceXmasTreeMCR is supported by the Great Northern Warehouse, the gift wrap will be donated by Hallmark and over a tonne of ice will be donated by the Ice Co.
“Shelter Manchester is delighted to be part of this project, not only the amazing spectacle that is the ice tree, but the gifts, genorosity of people and organisations and how this will highlight homelessness in Manchester and beyond. This project will help us to reach more people this Christmas.” Says Lindsey Tilston Jones from Shelter
“In the UK it can be seen as normal for people to be homeless and that should not be the case. These are vulnerable people who are on the street that need support. So please come and support them by putting a gift under the tree.” Says Jamie Wardley from Sand In Your Eye.
The Ice Christmas Tree will be built from 9am on Wednesday 5th December. From 1pm until 7pm people are invited to bring presents. Please make sure they are not wrapped as you can wrap them on site with the volunteers. For more information please visit www.icechristmastree.org.uk and use #IceXmasTreeMCR for social media. If you would like to donate online then you can do so at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/icetreemcr
