Dobbies Garden Centres is giving away 220 Christmas trees to schools and nurseries within 20 miles of its stores.

The Christmas Tree campaign is being run in partnership with tree supplier Needlefresh and is inviting schools and nurseries to apply for a free tree by the deadline of 6 November.

Dobbies will then review and select successful applications. Winners will be notified by mid-November and can collect their trees on 27 November. The trees are Nordmann Firs, which are known to hold their needles well, said the garden centre chain.

“Our Dobbies Community Christmas Tree campaign is a great opportunity to spread festive joy with local schools and nurseries, showing children the magic a real Christmas tree can bring. We can’t wait to see what the successful applicants do with their trees,” said the garden centres’ plant buyer Nigel Lawton.

Trees used are sustainably grown in managed fields in Scotland.

Needlefresh’s Kenneth Mitchell says the initiative “allows schools and nurseries up and down the country the opportunity to enjoy a real Christmas tree as part of their festive celebrations”.

---