Worcester Cathedral has this week announced record visitor numbers for Christmas 2025.
The Christmas Tree Festival 2025 not only featured over 100 more trees than the previous year, but also saw more than 75,000 visitors, surpassing 2024’s total of 61,744.
Nearly 14,000 people attended services at the Cathedral during December, with a total of 37 Choral carols sung and 61 congregational Carols, resulting in a remarkable 246 verses echoing around the historic building.
More than 24,066 people visited the Cathedral in the week leading up to Christmas Day, and a staggering 31,000 candles were lit. An incredible 3,046 people attended services on Christmas Eve alone, including the popular Crib Services and the Midnight Eucharist.
This year’s Christmas Tree Festival saw more trees than ever, with over 200 local schools, charities, businesses and organisations taking part.
Also new this year were Dedication Trees – a meaningful way for families and individuals to remember a lost loved one. Generously donated by St Peter’s Garden Centre, the trees adorned the Cathedral’s Chapter House throughout the festive season, with personal dedication messages displayed on a celebration board.
During the Cathedral’s Christmas Fayre, held in the new pop-up venue ‘Wulfstan’s Lodge’ on College Green, more than 20,000 people visited – almost double 2024’s event. And the new giant post box in Wulfstan’s Lodge saw over 1,000 letters written and posted to Santa.
An appeal was launched in November, aimed at helping to support the historic Cathedral’s Promise of Hope at Christmas.
The Appeal reached over 4,000 people and has so far raised a fantastic £22,300, with Gift Aid still to be added.
More than 1,100 people wrote a tag to hang on the community Christmas tree, which is kindly donated by St Peter’s Garden Centre each year, with messages including: “God bless this Cathedral, an oasis of peace and hope in a turbulent world;” “Sending a promise of hope for peace on earth for all mankind. Hoping for an end to fighting in the world and a peaceful and happy future;” and “Sending much love and many thanks for making our Cathedral such a warm, special and welcoming place.”
Visitor Welcome Manager, Ros Gammie, said: “We were delighted to welcome so many visitors to the Cathedral to help celebrate our Promise of Hope this Christmas.
“The Cathedral is always a special place, but perhaps more so at Christmastime. Each year we welcome back visitors who always join us at Christmas but also welcome many people who have never visited before, and all are welcomed equally.
“It is wonderful not only for the Cathedral, but the city as a whole to see these visitor numbers during the festive period, and we would like to thank everyone who has visited, donated, lit a candle, attended a service, or written a message on our community tree; we really couldn’t do it without you.”
This year’s Christmas Tree Festival was generously sponsored by Newmedica, Emdot Property Agents, Haus Installations, Kendrick Homes, Nick Taylor Plumbing, Peaceful Moments Therapy, Southco, St Peter’s Garden Centre and Bryland Fire Protection.