You’ve heard of wonky fruit and vegetables, but are you ready for a wonky Christmas tree?
A Perthshire grower has found an inspiring new use for the specimens that didn’t meet the big stores’ exacting beauty standards this Christmas.
Kate Spurway is selling these wonky trees at knockdown prices to raise money for mental health charity YoungMinds.
Kate, whose family run Feddal Christmas Trees near Braco, has very personal reasons for launching the project.
She helped to look after her niece Maddy Forsyth when she was battling her own mental health issues.
Maddy took her own life earlier this year, aged just 22.
But before she died she said she wanted other young people to get the help that came too late for her.
YoungMinds was a tremendous source of comfort and support for Kate.
So she is donating every penny from the sale of Feddal’s wonky Christmas trees to the charity.
“One thing Maddy always said was that she wanted other young people to know that they could get help, that early intervention could make the difference,” she said.
“Unfortunately things had gone too far for her by the time help came.
“But she wanted people to know her story.”
Finding the joy in Feddal’s wonky Christmas trees
Feddal harvests and sells around 80,000 trees every Christmas.
The family firm supplies big name stores, whose buyers insist on perfection.
Normally the trees that don’t make the grade are left in the ground and mulched.
But when Kate’s son’s girlfriend suggested a better way, there was no looking back.
“She said ‘why don’t you do something with these wonky trees?’, and it all grew from there,” said Kate.
“I’d been desperate to do something to raise money for YoungMinds, and it always seemed such a waste.
“They’re going really well. People are coming in specially for them.”
The wonky trees are selling for between £20 and £35, depending on their height.
That’s about half the price of a so-called perfect tree, and every penny will go to YoungMinds.
While they may not be up to superstore-standard, their imperfections are often so tiny as to be unnoticeable.
Kate said she was thrilled to see them bringing joy to families, instead of facing the mulcher.
“People have been sending me photos and videos of their wonky trees all decorated and looking lovely,” she said.
“I think we’ll be doing this every year from now.”
Feddal Christmas Trees is at Upper Whitestone, just off the A9 between Greenloaning and Dunblane. It’s on the left hand side, if you’re coming from Perth, and you can’t miss the signs.
YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people’s mental health.
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