Norse helps raise giant Christmas tree
December 2009

Norse helped with the placement of a 60ft (18m) Christmas tree that is the City’s Christmas celebrations centrepiece outside the Norwich’s Forum.

The company initially errected the security fencing around the tree and has built the framework for the hoardings that form the base.  Norse also provided the large extending ‘cherry-picker’ vehicle to enable the tree to be strung with a net of 10,000 low-energy white lights, ready for the city's festive lights switch-on on November 19.

In December, it will be surrounded by a stage, which will host carol singers and other performers

This is the first time that Norwich has had such a large tree, which compares with the 65ft (20m) tree in London’s Trafalgar Square.

The tree has been organised by the Forum Trust with sponsorship form the Elveden Estate, City College Norwich, Norse and other local businesses.

The 60-ft tree has been provided by the Elveden Estate, which manages the Christmas tree plantations in Kielder Forest in Northumberland where it was sourced.

Once cut and lowered down, the tree was then put very slowly through a giant baling machine to wrap it up ready for transport on a lorry with an extended 80ft (24m) trailer.
It was then erected using a crane on the back on the lorry which transported it, and put into a specially engineered 20-tonne stand.

And in best ‘Green’ practice, the tree will be taken down on January 6 and will be returned to Elveden to be recycled into woodchip for mulch.