Lewisham based social action project, Jericho Road is aiming to sell 700 Christmas trees for charity, in an effort to give a gift to the homeless.

Kings Christmas Trees, which is run by Kings Church London, is gearing up for its biggest year yet. All proceeds from the trees, which are premium Normann Firs driven down from Scotland for the project, go to providing meals for the homeless through the Jericho Road Project.

Over the nine years the project has been operating, Kings has seen the Christmas trees ordered by customers grow significantly. The most popular size for trees is now six or seven foot, which always sell out first. However, the project also supplies trees to schools, colleges and large-scale organisations, with the biggest tree it sells being 10 feet. Over the last nine years the project has sold 3,545 trees, and it is aiming to sell 700 this year, more than ever before as they mark their 10-year anniversary. The trees will be available to order from early November.

“King’s Christmas Trees started in order to raise money to provide meals for people in need, as well as increase awareness about rough sleeping in our community,” says Simon Allen, Jericho Road Project Director and King’s Christmas Trees Founder.

“We also wanted a business that our residents and contacts could be directly involved in where they could learn work skills and build confidence, it’s been amazing seeing the project grow over the years and how the South East London community has come together to help those in need.”

The trees can be ordered online and then collected or delivered to customers by Kings Christmas Trees volunteers, many of whom have benefitted from Jericho Road’s work themselves. As well as providing a hot meal known as The Feast for up to 140 homeless people every Wednesday night, the charity provides emergency food packs and housing advice.

“I love volunteering for King’s Christmas Trees. It’s incredible to know that each person who buys a tree is buying multiple meals for people who really need it. I also volunteer at the Feast on Wednesday nights and it’s amazing to see the journey from tree purchase to food delivered. It is such a great project,” says Helen, a Feast and King’s Christmas Tree volunteer.

www.kingschristmastrees.org