Even though Devonshire Square’s highly expected “Art for Love Festival” and “Soul Royalty Winter Festival” will not take place this December due to Covid-19, Devonshire Square’s iconic Giving Tree will still be taking central stage in the historical Western Courtyard, to celebrate the spirit of giving and bring communities together.
Devonshire Square’s Giving Tree is a unique Christmas tree entirely adorned with paper hearts on which wishes expressed by homeless people supported by The Connection Charity have been transcribed, in order to give them a chance to be read and honoured by visitors. Created by the Devonshire Square Events Team in December 2015, the Giving Tree has helped hundreds of homeless people to receive a thoughtfully made gift for Christmas.
The illumination of the Giving Tree has traditionally marked the beginning of Devonshire Square’s Winter festivals, organised annually by the Devonshire Square’s Events Team to support social causes through the power of the arts. This year, even if current circumstances have not allowed our festivals to take place, we are committed to continue supporting The Connection charity to help vulnerable people, whose challenging living conditions have even worsened due to the Covid-19 health emergency.
To express gratitude towards the NHS for the unvaluable help that they have been providing to the nation during the pandemic, the Giving Tree will be exceptionally decorated with blue paper hearts, instead of the red ones featured on the previous editions.
The Giving Tree will be on display in the Western Courtyard from 6th December till 8th January 2021.
Donors are warmly invited to deliver their gifts unwrapped, in order to facilitate the sanitation process that the Devonshire Square Team will carry out on all donated items, before delivering them to The Connection Charity via courier.
Gifts can be delivered to the ground floor reception of 7 Devonshire Square, EC2M 4YE, from 6th to 22nd December, from 9am to 4pm. Alternatively, donors can deliver their gifts directly to the charity via post by addressing them to: CHRISTMAS TEAM, The Connection, 12 Adelaide St, London, WC2N 4HW. Please note that donors who are bringing gifts on site to The Connection charity, must pre-arrange their visit with the representatives of the charity through the following email address: paul.waite@cstm.org.uk and copy fundraising@cstm.org.uk .
We would like to thank you all for joining Devonshire Square in supporting such a great cause and our special thanks go to all the artists, in particular Zalon, who helped us during the last few years to raise awareness about our initiative and are committed to continue encouraging donations in aid of homeless people during these difficult times.
To know more about The Connection and to donate online, please visit the charity’s website: https://www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/ .
Should you wish to know more about the Devonshire Square’s Giving Tree appeal, please contact the Devonshire Square Events Team on frontdesk@devonshiresq.co.uk .
Photo credit: © Patrizia Ilaria Sechi