Milestone Garden Centre’s £1,500 gift to the community of Newtown St Boswells
A long-held ambition to plant a living Christmas tree in Newtown St Boswells has finally become a reality – thanks to a generous donation from Milestone Garden Centre.
More than a year after the community first attempted to establish a sustainable Christmas tree, the village now has a permanent living tree that will grow alongside future generations.
The tree, with a retail value of £1,500, was personally selected and donated by Ross Allan, owner of Milestone Garden Centre, as the business celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Milestone has been a longstanding supporter of Newtown St Boswells, particularly its annual Christmas parade and Christmas lights switch-on, but this latest act of generosity has gone well and truly above and beyond.
Ross said: “We've always been passionate about supporting our local community. Events like the Christmas parade and lights switch-on bring people together, and it’s so important that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy these special occasions.
“Whenever there’s an initiative we can contribute to as a business, we’re delighted to get involved. We want to play our part in making Newtown St Boswells an even brighter and better place for everyone.
“As we celebrate Milestone’s 20th anniversary, it’s particularly special to give something back that we hope the whole community will enjoy for many years to come.”
Shelley Edgar, Chair of Newtown & Eildon Community Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted with this beautiful tree, which Ross personally chose with the Newtown and Eildon community in mind. It may be smaller than the Christmas trees residents have been used to, but that's part of what makes it so special.
“Our children will be able to watch it grow, and hopefully it will become a much-loved feature of the village for many, many years to come.
“In recent years, we’ve had to raise a considerable amount of money every Christmas to buy a tree that only lasts a few weeks. Having a permanent living tree is not only better environmentally but means more of the money raised can go towards our Christmas celebrations and other community activities.
“I also want to say an enormous thank you to all the volunteers on our Christmas Lights committee. They give up so much of their own time to organise fundraising events, and we’ve had some fantastic, fun and successful nights together. Without these volunteers, our Christmas celebrations simply wouldn’t happen.
“There are still significant costs involved, particularly the electricity needed to power our Christmas lights, so fundraising remains incredibly important. We’re always keen to hear new ideas and would love more residents to get involved. The more people who support our events, the more we can do for everyone.”
Councillor Leagh Douglas, added: “There's something truly special about Newtown St Boswells. For a relatively small village, they punch well above their weight, and that's entirely down to the incredible people who live here.
“It’s always a privilege to be involved in the things this community decides to take forward. Once they’ve set their minds to something, there’s simply no turning back! This tree is a wonderful example of that determination.
“An enormous thank you to Ross and his amazing team at Milestone for such an extraordinary gift, to Shelley for her fantastic leadership, and to every single person who helps make Newtown such a special place.
“What a wonderful legacy to create, and how lovely to think of future generations gathering around this very tree to celebrate Christmas and so many other special occasions.”
Newtown & Eildon Community Council is encouraging residents to share ideas for future events and get involved in the village’s Christmas celebrations through the Newtown Christmas Lights Facebook page.