Dates: November 18th – December 24th
Location: Castle Quarter, Norwich
This Christmas, we’re bringing together two of your favourite things: our cherished community and festive fun! Join us at Castle Quarter for the Christmas Tree Trail, a magical way to explore the centre and enjoy the season.
Our popular Castle Quarter trails return this year with a special community twist! As you follow the trail, you’ll spot beautifully themed Christmas trees displayed in the windows of our shops and destinations, each reflecting its host’s unique personality.
But that’s not all! You’ll also experience our Community Christmas Tree Showcase – featuring 10 stunning trees, each decorated by a local school, charity or community group. These trees are filled with personal touches, making everyone a festive masterpiece and offering visitors a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
So, pick up your map from the display stand at the base of our spiral staircase or Download the map HERE, and set off on your festive adventure to discover these enchanting trees.
When you’ve completed the trail, don’t forget to drop your map into our special postbox for a chance to win £250 to spend at your favourite Castle Quarter destination!
Whether you’re in search of Christmas shopping inspiration or a fun, festive day out with family and friends, Castle Quarter is the perfect place to celebrate the magic of Christmas together.
Our Community Christmas Trees are decorated by the following charities, schools and nurseries:
Charities:
- East Anglian’s Children’s Hospice
- Headway Norfolk & Waveney
- Priscilla Bacon Hospice
- The BUILD charity
- The Hamlet
Schools:
- Angel Road Schools
- Lakenham Primary School
- Little Squirrels Play Forest
- The Clare School
- West Earlham Infants School
SCHOOLS
Angel Road Schools
Angel Road Infant and Nursery School and Angel Road Junior School are located in central Norwich a short walk from the city centre. We are two inclusive settings; whilst we are legally two schools on the same site, we work as one primary school for the benefit of all children. We are proud of the diverse communities our schools serve. We believe that children in our schools thrive from this diversity, enabling them to be responsible, caring and respectful young citizens.
Our schools have strong pastoral care and children enjoy learning in a supportive environment. We are focused on helping all children to achieve their best outcomes through high quality teaching, positive behaviours and an emphasis on personal development and by offering a wide range of learning experiences through our inspiring curriculum and activities.
We are very proud of our schools and the improvements we have made over recent years. We strive to provide a caring and safe environment where children are empowered to have ambitious and responsible aspirations for themselves, others and their world. Our School Council have led our involvement in the Christmas Tree Trail Project. We have used the angels from our school logo to create the decorations for our
tree.
Clare School
The Clare School is a specialist complex needs school that supports pupils who have learning difficulties with physical, medical and sensory needs (either hearing, visual or dual/multi-sensory impairment). It is a mixed, day Foundation School for pupils from 3 to 19 years of age. Many pupils also have complex medical and learning needs.
Our theme is ‘The Amazing Clare School’ – all of the decorations will have the face of the child who made it on there – for example, angels with the child’s face on or reindeer pupil faces or pupils popping out of presents…not sure if I am explaining it properly. Basically, we wanted the people of Norwich to know who we are and to see all our beautiful faces. There may also be staff faces on there too…
Lakenham Primary and Nursery School
Lakenham Primary and Nursery School is a multicultural two form entry primary school, in central Norwich. Being part of Lakenham Primary, you are part of our school family. We know that primary education only takes 8 years, but lasts a lifetime. We have a curriculum which is much more than about remembering dates and names ….. It’s about understanding the world and how it works, but also allows children to enquire, ask big questions and discover themselves. We grow together, we struggle together and we succeed together!” Our theme for our tree is ‘Love and Kindness’.
Little Squirrels Play Forest
Little Squirrels Play Forest takes inspiration from initiatives such as Forest Schools and the curiosity approach whereby children are given freedom and independence, where the child leads the situation and evolves and adapts as a result. To help, we have various areas that are all designed to offer children a challenging and stimulating environment where skills are learnt through play and experience. We have a sensory area, messy play, role play, water wall, loose parts play, an outside area and much more; all designed to provide your children with a fun way to grow and develop.
West Earlham Infant and Nursery school
We are an Infant and nursery school in the centre of West Earlham. We value the importance of play, learning and to be together as one. Our main aim is ‘Learn well to live well’. We know that by giving the children at our school the very best start to their education, we are giving them the best chances to have a reach their potential and fulfil their dreams. We are proud to have recently won ‘Best Early years school in Norfolk’. The theme for our tree is ‘Together is better’. At West Earlham Infant and Nursery school we have a diverse community and we know that working together is better. All of the decorations on our tree have been made collaboratively by our amazing children.
“Lakenham Primary and Nursery School is a multicultural two form entry primary school, in central Norwich. Being part of Lakenham Primary, you are part of our school family. We know that primary education only takes 8 years, but lasts a lifetime. We have a curriculum which is much more than about remembering dates and names ….. It’s about understanding the world and how it works, but also allows children to enquire, ask big questions and discover themselves. We grow together, we struggle together and we succeed together!” Our theme for our tree is ‘Love and Kindness’.
CHARITIES
Build Charity
Short description of themselves (school or charity) and the theme of their tree decorations. – BUILD is a Norfolk based independent registered charity providing social, leisure and learning opportunities to anyone, with any disability aged 18 or over in Norfolk. We host 300 evening and weekend activities in a programme published four times a year, mainly delivered by our team of around 80 volunteers in our local communities.
EACH
Our supportive care for babies, children, young people and their families is all-encompassing. If required, this life-long support includes specialist nursing, therapies and ongoing wellbeing care through all the ups and downs. Depending on a family’s needs and wishes, we can provide care in one of our hospices, in the family home, in hospital or in the wider community. Our planned, coordinated end-of-life care ensures children are as comfortable as possible, and that families have everything they need to feel prepared. All our hospices are rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission and we pride ourselves on delivering world-class care.
The theme of the tree is The Nook which is our Hospice in Poringland. It will showcase photos of our wonderful hospice along with information around what we do and stories from our families.
The Priscilla Bacon Hospice Charity
Founded in 2016, the Priscilla Bacon Hospice Charity plays a vital role in Norfolk’s palliative care. Its main aim was to fund and build Priscilla Bacon Lodge, a state-of-the-art hospice providing NHS-funded end of life care. Opened by King Charles III in October 2023, the Lodge carries forward a 44-year legacy of compassionate service.
The Charity enriches NHS care at the Lodge by creating a warm, homely environment with freshly prepared meals, beautiful gardens, and specialist equipment.
Key enhancements funded by the Charity include Bereavement Support: Café drop-ins, therapy groups, and counselling, Garden Wellbeing Pavilion: A serene space for families,
Music Therapy: Available to all patients, Community Art Sessions: Held in the Lodge’s garden and Complementary Therapies: Including massage, aromatherapy, and mindfulness.
Ongoing community support through donations, fundraising and voluntary involvement are essential for expanding services and enhancing the end of life care for patients
The Hamlet
Short Description – At the Hamlet, we provide support for children, young people and adults with disabilities and complex health needs in Norwich and across Norfolk.
We believe our members deserve to be valued for who they are and by providing recreational, educational and social opportunities, they are given the chance to be themselves, explore choice and reach their full potential – a life without limits!
Our tree is decorated to reflect The Hamlet’s unique personality. We have used sensory fidget toys, glow gadgets and black-and-white contrast items to create an engaging and meaningful display as sensory stimulation plays an essential role in the day-to-day lives and well-being of our users.
Headway Norfolk & Waveney
At Headway Norfolk and Waveney, we are dedicated to improving lives impacted by brain injury. We support individuals affected by all types of brain injuries, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke and brain tumours. We offer a range of services, from rehabilitation programs to emotional and practical support, helping individuals and their families navigate the challenges of brain injury. Our mission is to improve understanding, enhance quality of life, and promote independence as people work toward recovery. We’re here to help every step of the way.
