, 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.