Standing tall! 15ft home grown Christmas tree for Ottery town centre

Ottery’s Otter Garden Centres are proud to have grown the Christmas tree for the town once again, and this year it’s a whopper!

The 15ft Picea Abies is grown by Otter locally and this one was selected not just for its height but also for its full shape for the location.    

A team from the garden centre came along with the tree delivery to help Ottery resident Richard Coley. Richard, as locals know, is in charge of ensuring this important festive decoration arrives in the town each year. As usual, the Otter team along with Jeremy Bateson gave Richard a helping hand to decorate the tree and add the fairy lights ready for to twinkle for the late night shopping switch on.

Otter Garden Centres Managing Director Jacqui Taylor said: “It’s a real pleasure to supply the town’s Christmas tree for the fourth year in a row, particularly as its one we have grown ourselves especially for the town.

“Our policy is to plant a new tree for every one cut, so this one already has a young replacement which will need at least 10 years to reach the same height!”

As well as the tree, Otter Garden Centre is once again helping out with Ottery’s free festive dinner initiative that provides a piping hot meal on Christmas Day for the elderly and those who are on their own in the town or neighbouring area. The meals will be cooked in the garden centre restaurant and delivered by local volunteers.

If anyone local to Ottery would like to add their name to the list or the name of a friend or neighbour who will be alone please contact Glyn Dobson who is collating the deliveries and will ensure nobody is forgotten on Christmas Day. Glyn is available at 01404 813403 or email: glyndobson@aol.com. You can also contact the Ottery Help Scheme at 01404 813041 or email: info@otteryhelpscheme.org.uk.

“Christmas is a time for giving and we hope this will help anyone on their own on Christmas Day to feel that the community does care about them. We are happy to be able to help in this small way,” adds Jacqui.

“After all, this is the place that it all started for our business way back in 1964, and we are always grateful for the fantastically loyal local support we receive.”