Selston residents invited to remember loved ones by hanging message on Christmas tree

Gillotts Funeral Directors, based in Nottingham Road, will support the Selston Community Food Bank this year through its Christmas Tree Remembrance Appeal.

The company has run the appeal for the past 15 years and raises money by donating £1 for every message left on the branches of trees erected in the receptions at each of its offices.

However, social distancing means that the company is only accepting visitors by appointment only, so it is not able to offer families the opportunity to go in and leave their message in person.

Instead, it has joined forced with St Lawrence’s Church in Heanor, where families will be able to hang their messages on the branches of a 20ft tree erected in the churchyard.

Alternatively, they will be able to leave their message with staff at the Selston office and they will put it onto the tree on their behalf.

Selston Community Food Bank, which is operated by a group of local churches, has been running for ten years and Chris Ibbs, minister of Selston Church of Christ, said it has never been more needed.

He said: “Demand has increased dramatically since the lockdown, because of the effect that furloughing and redundancy has had on local families, who are finding that their money is no longer getting them to the end of the month.

“We are here for an emergency, and there are a lot of people in an emergency situation right now. The families we give food to are never those you expect, they are often those who have had a change of circumstance and are suddenly in the awful situation where they have to choose between heating their house or feeding their children.

“That’s why we’re so grateful to companies like Gillotts for helping us. There will be a need for this food bank in the New Year and their donation will be vital.”

Anthony Topley, a partner in Gillotts Funeral Directors, said: “The coronavirus has hit many families in this area hard, so we wanted to make a difference by donating the money raised in Selston to help Chris and the team.”

Families can leave their messages of remembrance on the tree by visiting www.gillotts.co.uk/christmas20.