A collection of Christmas trees that have brought festive cheer to the centre of Aberdeen will go under the hammer for The Archie Foundation this week.
The children’s charity has hosted the decorated nine-foot trees at Marischal Square since the start of this month, each sponsored by organisations from across the north and north-east.
Decorators included Aberdeen FC, whose tree comes with a selection of signed memorabilia, and Mackie’s.
Starting today and running until the end of this week, they will be sold off via a digital auction to raise money for the foundation and allow them to continue their vital work for babies, children and families.
Also included in the sale is a rainbow-themed Oor Wullie statue – similar to the ones that popped up around Scotland last year for the Big Bucket Trail – celebrating the NHS, which is supported in Grampian, the Highlands and Tayside by the Archie Foundation.
An extra tribute to the key workers in the health service comes in the form of the Thank You NHS Rainbow Tree, which is decorated with thousands of knitted and crocheted rainbows posted from across the country.
Both that tree and a “memory, thanks and hope tree”, adorned with personal messages from members of the public, will stay on display in Marischal Square until the end of December.
Hope to make auction big success despite pandemic
Lynne Brooks, gifts and donations manager at the Archie Foundation, said: “Coronavirus has forced us to get creative this year.
“We hope that despite the restrictions we can make a big success of the auction.
“We’re conscious that our normal corporate bidders may not be in a position to take one of the beautiful trees as their offices may be closed.
“Our hope is that those who live in homes with suitably tall ceilings may be tempted to support Archie and take a tree for home.”
The artificial trees are made by festive design company The Christmas Decorators, who also sponsored one themselves alongside companies including Texo, Hampton, Tendeka, Overbury and gold sponsor The Aberdeen Clinic Healthcare.
Free tree delivery and installation can be organised for anywhere within the Aberdeen City boundaries.
To view the lots and bid on the auction, please visit archie.org/christmas-tree-auction
