The 16ft knitted Christmas tree aiming to tackle loneliness


An initiative by Edinburgh community group, Heart of Newhaven, has resulted in a 16ft knitted Christmas tree that aims to bring together different age groups, in an effort to tackle loneliness. Volunteers including children, older people and teenagers have been contributing knitted squares and decorations to create the tree, which also serves the purpose of creating an intergenerational hub.

The project has been based in an old, Victorian school building situated to the north of the Scottish City. The Heart of Newhaven is comprised of volunteers who come together to engage in shared activities that aim to tackle loneliness and create a sense of community between different age groups.

The 16ft Christmas tree is a great example of how the group is achieving these goals, by bringing together people of different ages to create something tangible and beautiful. The final tree is adorned with knitted squares and decorations from volunteers of all age groups who came together over several weeks to produce the final product.

The project aimed not only to bring together different communities of people, but also tackle loneliness and feelings of isolation in people of all ages. It’s a virtuous and admirable project from the Heart of Newhaven, demonstrating the positive impact that comes from working together as a group and community, while also making the world a little bit brighter in the process

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More