Lighting of the Assembly Christmas Tree

The lighting of the Assembly Christmas tree will take place on Wednesday 26 November 2014 at 6.30pm in the Great Hall. In the absence of a Speaker the Deputy Speakers have agreed that they would like to use the opportunity to work in conjunction with the Simon Community (the Assembly Secretariat’s Charity of the Year) to highlight the issue of homelessness. Following the switching on of the Christmas tree lights (by the winner of the Schools Christmas Card Verse competition) the Deputy Speakers will launch a Giving Tree which will receive gifts of male toiletries, female toiletries and toys up until the conclusion of the Assembly Carol Service on Thursday 11 December 2014. The gifts will then be delivered by the Deputy Speakers to one of the Charity’s Family Centres in time for Christmas. All Members are invited to attend the event which will include a performance by Sullivan Upper School Choir (the regional finalists in the All Ireland School Choir of the Year) followed by a reception. As the Great Hall has a limit on the number of people that can be accommodated if you wish to attend the event you should e-mail the Speaker’s Office speaker@niassembly.gov.uk by no later than noon on Friday 21 November 2014, places will allocated on a first come first served basis. Everyone attending is asked to consider bringing a gift which will be placed under the Giving Tree during the event.