This year’s Tavistock Christmas Tree Festival is taking shape for an official opening this Friday, November 28.

The festival features 69 trees decorated by the community with one very special tree adorned in tribute to beloved Tavistock science teacher, the late James Stroud, who died in August.

The tree has been covered by his pupils in crafted ingredients for Christmas dinner – including sprout shapes. James was renowned for his love of the festive season and for his humorous ‘sprout design’ suit.

The pupils wrote a tribute to James to accompany the tree, describing his “infectious Christmas spirit and unmistakable sprout suit.”

They continued: “In tribute to his joyful personality, the tree is hung with Christmas puddings and carrots. Each branch captures a sense of warmth, laughter and community – just as Mr Stroud brought to his classroom and the school every festive season.”

The ‘Mr Stroud sprouts’ will be sold to raise funds for the Foundation for Liver Research, ‘continuing his legacy of kindness and generosity’.

This allows students to ‘share in his love of Christmas cheer, while supporting a cause close to his heart - ‘a fitting tribute to a teacher who made every holiday season brighter for those around him.’

Festival organiser Vanessa Bowles said: “The college tree is something special which means a lot to so many. This is in the spirit of the whole festival which has trees decorated with individual character and meaning by those who designed them.”

The festival opens with a mayoral ceremony on Friday, November 28 after the community has decorated them for the public to admire over Christmas and help raise church maintenance and improvement funds.

The trees are now being decorated in a myriad of themes by community groups, schools, companies, Tavistock Library, Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group Tavistock and many others.

The opening ceremony is at 2.30pm on Friday.

After the launch entry donations of £1 per adult are requested (children go free).

Opening times are 10am to 4pm every day apart from the following: Friday, November 28, 2.30pm to 4pm; Sunday, November 30, 11am to 4pm; Wednesday, December 3, 11am to 4pm; Friday, December 5, late opening for Dickensian Evening, 10am to 9pm; and finally, Sunday, December 7, 11am to 4pm.