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Thanks for the tree, it made Christmas perfect

Robbie MacDonald
30/12/2003

IT JUST wouldn't be 'fir' to let a Christmas Day party continue without a beautiful evergreen as the main attraction.

But this was the dilemma that one group of volunteers were faced with when they organised a special party for those people who would usually spend the big day alone.

The turkey had been ordered, the presents wrapped and the karaoke organised, but the team were left searching high and low for a yuletide offering to decorate their church hall venue.

However, as usual, generous United Utilities, who own Macclesfield Forest, came to the rescue and happily supplied an 8ft tree for the special charity appeal.

The volunteers from seven of the town's churches organised a Christmas Day party at the Bethel Baptist Church for those people who would usually spend the big day alone.

Organiser Rhona Marshall said: "We had everything ready for the party but we just didn't have a tree.

"Everyone was absolutely delighted to hear that United Utilities had thrown us a lifeline. It's definitely the icing on the cake.

"I was really excited about the party and I can't believe how supportive everyone was, it was a great day."

And if that wasn't enough, the tree was dressed using decorations which many readers may recognise from television!

Rhona's daughter Emma is the stage manager for a Channel Five show starring Gaby Roslin and Terry Wogan. And seeing that the presenters did not need the decorations on the day - because the show is pre-recorded - Emma presonally brought and delivered the gold and cranberry coloured trimmings back home to Macclesfield to decorate the tree in the church hall.