The idea for creating Belper’s first Woollen Advent Calendar came from seeing how the Six Streets Community in Derby organised their window Advent Calendar. A different house unveils their decorated front window each day of advent. This is something that takes place in towns and villages up and down the country and the Eden Project have written a guide as to how to organise one.
In Belper we decided to do it differently for two reasons, firstly it was difficult to think of an area where there were enough houses with windows near the pavement and secondly we have so many groups and individuals who already enjoy the idea of Yarn Bombing. The trees chosen were in the main shopping area of the town along King Street, Campbell Street, Strutt Street and the Memorial Gardens.
A list of trees was made with measurements, permission granted from all the relevant authorities and then an appeal put out on Facebook. In true Advent Calendar style 24 trees were decided on and these were adopted by shops, care homes, schools, churches, social/craft/news groups and individuals. 
On November 30th woollen squares with the numbers 1-24 were attached to the trees and leaflets were placed in shops, the library, cinema and churches. The leaflet informed the reader who had made each tree, gave websites and titles where they had been chosen.
The Belper Woollen Woods facebook page was updated each day with that days tree. Each tree was unique and delighted the Christmas shoppers in the town. The trees will stay in place until January 5th so that people can have the opportunity to see the completed Community Advent Calendar.
The Advent Calendar has been a fantastic Community project with some truely amazing trees. A huge THANK YOU to all who were willing to be part of this.
1 Belper Nailed editor Clare Washbrook. https://nailed.community This tree included hats & scarves for people in need.
2 Chronic Creatives www.facebook.com/groups/chroniccreative
3 U3A Charity Crafting Group www.u3asites.org.uk/belper/groups
4 Belper Baptist Church Unto Us a Child is Born www.belperbaptist.org
5 Belper Methodist Church www.belpercentralmethodist.co.uk
6 Chatterbox Belper www.facebook.com/Chatterboxbelper
7 Spencer Grove Care Home www.milfordcare.co.uk/spencer-grove
8 Diane Strauther, Joy Meakin & Jan Sheppard While Shepherds watched
9 Holbrook School for Autism www.holbrookautism.derbyshire.sch.uk
10 Christine and Jo Waiting for Father Christmouse
11 Belper North Mill www.belpernorthmill.org.uk
12 Whitemoor Day Opportunities 12 Drummers Drumming www.facebook.com/whitemoordayopportunities 
13 Marianne Hulse
14 Helen Pridmore Hedgehugs www.hedgehogstreet.org
15 Suz Hennessey & Tracey Crawford The 12 Days of Christmas
16 Christchurch Church www.christchurchbelper.co.uk
17 Air Ambulance Shop www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk/shop/wndlr-belper
18 Milford Care Home www.milfordcare.co.uk
19 St Peter’s Church We Three Kings www.stpetersparishbelper.org.uk
20 Belper Gardening Club www.facebook.com/groups/belpergardeningclub
21 Oxfam Shop www.oxfam.org.uk/shop
22 Cynthia Lenham & Christine Moorcroft Santa’s Favourites
23 Openwoodgate Preschool www.openwoodgatepreschool.co.uk
24 Transition Belper Hang the Stockings www.transitionbelper.org
Photos kindly taken by Syd Greig.
