The Communities of Kidbrooke present
TREE DRESSING
2009
The annual Tree Dressing celebrations on the Ferrier Estate in Kidbrooke have become landmark community events, offering local people a chance to escape the darkness of winter, however briefly, to light up the night sky with fireworks, listen to great music, parade with beautiful handmade lanterns and feast together in the Community Hall.
This website commemorates the Tree Dressing celebrations of December 2009. Why not find out a bit more about the event, check out the gallery of photographs and enjoy the film of the evening's entertainment?
ABOUT
Each year, the communities of Kidbrooke in South East London, get together to organise a non religious festival celebrating light in the midst of winter darkness. Young people create decorations for the trees in Telemann Square in the Ferrier housing estate and these provide the backdrop for an evening lantern parade, live music, fireworks and food served in the Community Hall.
In recent years, the event has grown in size and ambition. Many individuals and organisations take an active role in helping to organise the event. This year, these included: Thomas Tallis School, Greenwich Community College, Holy Family School, Holy Spirit Church, The Greenwich Food Co-operative, Greenwich Council, Emergency Exit Arts, The Ferrier Cultural Centre, Kidbrooke Vietnamese Chinese Supplementary School, Southern Housing Group, Greenwich Youth for Christ, The Ferrier Safer Neighbourhood Team and Berkeley Homes. The Ferrier Estate is undergoing a massive regeneration programme and it is vital the existing and new communities of this part of London have regular opportunities to meet and celebrate together.
Thomas Tallis School is proud to support the Tree Dressing event as part of its community cohesion strategy. If you would like more information about the Tree Dressing event, or about the school's role in supporting the local community, please contact Lisa Sproat our Creative Communities Development Officer.
GALLERY
You can view a slideshow and download these images by clicking here. They have been published under a Creative Commons License.
FILM
Filmed by Tom Wheeler
Edited by Jon Nicholls
MUSIC
Click case to open and see track listing
Music provided the theme for this year's Tree Dressing celebrations. We worked with artists Rachel Bennett and Nick Cattermole to support the musical creativity of two community groups. Rachel worked with young women from Greenwich Youth for Christ to write and record the song "Hard Times". Sam Murray helped the girls record their track in the Thomas Tallis School recording studio. Nick Cattermole collaborated with the Chinese Vietnamese community school to create some exciting hip hop tracks featuring traditional sounds.
The Valentinos jazz band was on hand to lead the lantern procession and play in the Community Hall as food was served and the Tallis Steel Pans gave a rousing performance following the Mayor's speech.
Check out some of the sounds on the virtual CD opposite.
