Whangarei ambos and rescue chopper branch out for Xmas

TINSEL TIME: Helping with the Christmas tree sales are Aanjah Curtis, front, and St John volunteer Amy Hodkinson

, front, and St John volunteer Amy Hodkinson. Photo/Michael Cunningham

Every year Whangarei's ambulance and rescue helicopter services branch out into selling trees.

These are a special type of pine for a special purpose, grown and shaped at one of New Zealand's top Christmas tree companies, in Warkworth.

Last year, 2100 were sold by the St John and Northland Emergency Services' combined social clubs.

Truckloads of the trees arrive at the St John Ambulance centre on Western Hills Dr during the weeks before the big day.

''It gets busier every year,'' ambulance officer Callum Bracey said.

''We'll have deliveries until we run out. It's usually all over by December 20.''

When the Advocate caught up with the tree rush on Thursday, there had already been four truckloads delivered since sales began the weekend before, with the fifth delivery due that afternoon, and 400 trees sold.

Mr Bracey said the profits go back into benefiting the Northland community by funding, for example, staff training, equipment purchases, teambuilding and family events — expenditure that could not come out of the operating budgets but added greatly to staff and public safety and wellbeing.

Family members and other volunteers staffed the Christmas tree sales desk, which is open seven days a week, from 9am until 7pm.
The trees come in two sizes, and cost $35 and $45 dollars, with stands also available for $35.