Agbrigg & Belle Vue Community Association

The editor interviews Javed Iqbal to learn the story behind the Community Christmas tree

Hi Javed; you are a familiar character to most people in the community – particularly those who read your column in the Wakefield Express, but could you say a but about yourself for those few who still haven't heard of you?

I'm a local resident, I've lived in Belle Vue since I came to England when I was 12 years old. I have always had a passion for helping people in whatever way I could. I have been involved with voluntary work since I was 16 and in that time I have been involved with many community groups both local and district wide.

At present I am working in the community as a board member for the Agbrigg / Belle Vue Neighbourhood Management Team and in the past I have been involved with organising galas / melas / arts and cultural diversity events and running local football team. I also served for six years with the West Yorkshire Police Specials which I really enjoyed.

I hear that the Christmas tree at the junction of Agbrigg Road and Doncaster Road is your idea, could you tell us where that idea came from, and when it first started?

The idea for the Christmas tree for this area came to me when I was driving around the district and came across a lot of trees lit up during the festive period but we seemed to be missing out. I contacted the local authority in 2004 but because I had left it a bit late it was not possible to have a tree that year.

Also the initial cost was a major factor because the tree has to have its own separate power supply which meant a lot of digging etc., but at that point I contacted Councillor Monica Graham and with her help the funding for the tree was secured.

My idea that we should have our own Christmas tree would not have been possible without Monica's assistance and I am grateful to Monica not just for helping out with the Christmas tree but on other issues as well when I have approached her.

How important do you think this Christmas tree is to the community?

I think its a good thing that we have our Christmas tree because its a chance for us as a community to get together and celebrate something associated with the festive period just like we get together for Eid parties / Diwali etc. I am very proud to see the tree lit up every year because I no longer look at other communities and think if only we had a tree as well.

Are there any particular memories you have over the years that relate to this that you want to share?

I have a lot of memories of the Christmas tree because this year it will be fourth year that we have had the tree.

I really loved the evening back in 2005 when I asked Sandal Magna School to send their school choir down to sing at the lights switch on ceremony and before they arrived there were mince pies and candles all around the tree. It was a very cold winter evening and it just made it feel very very Christmasy to see kids singing carols, candles lit up and it was nice to have two local children switch the lights on rather than anyone else. It was also really nice when a very elderly lady came up to me to thank me for the tree , its gestures like that which make it worth all the effort that you put in.

What's the time and date this year for the mince-pies and lights-on?

The lights switch on will take place on Monday 1st December between 6.00 and 6.30 pm. Sandal Magna pupils will sing carols again and I would like to see as many local residents as possible there because we don't seem to have too many community events in the area and I hope this will change so that we have many more occasions when we can all get together and celebrate different events throughout the year.

Thank-you