The University of Cumbria is taking part in the inaugural Carlisle Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival.
The festival runs until 31 December and comprises 30 trees decorated by local charities and community groups and can be seen in the Cathedral and Undercroft. The Cathedral hopes that this will become an annual event in the heart of the city centre, celebrating important work undertaken locally and, more broadly, promoting a sense of togetherness and strengthening of community ties in the darker and colder months of the year.
The festival champions a temporary escape – a moment of peace – during the busy hustle and bustle of the season.
Staff and students from across all campuses were invited to write a message on a tag reflecting what the University of Cumbria means to them to display on the tree. The messages include a tag from our Chancellor, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York.
Paper chains with words from our T2030 strategy were created and, following its sustainability theme, the tree is adorned with perspex green leaves originally produced for the inauguration ceremony of the university in 2007. The finishing touch to our tree is a Herdy, resplendent in full graduation ceremonial robes and mortarboard. Paul Forsyth, arts graduate in residence at Brampton Road, led a team of students to decorate the tree. Paul and Karen Jones, Business Manager, Institute of Education, Arts & Society attended the preview event together with civic representatives and the 30 other organisations taking part.
See the Christmas Tree Festival at Carlisle Cathedral until 31 December https://carlislecathedral.org.uk/