The trees in Greerton Village are again warmed up for winter with knitted colourful sleeves enveloping their trunks during July.

This year's yarn bombing theme is ‘Love our Earth - Aroha Ki Papatuanuku' which Greerton Village Mainstreet Manager Sally Benning says allows everyone to celebrate the wonders of the world despite being challenged by Covid.

'There's 36 trees, with about half of them community trees, and half are trees that have had new sleeves knitted which will be for voting.

'It has been tricky again this year because of Covid. A lot of schools had to drop out because they weren't in school to do the knitting. And some of the older knitters have dropped out, again - Covid related.

Greerton Village Mainstreet Manager Sally Benning. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Sally says there are a couple of ‘first timers' and a tree that has had a sleeve made by knitters in the United Kingdom which is flying the UK flag from one of its branches.

Each knitter or group of knitters chooses a charity that they are raising funds for, and are dependent on judging and public voting to win the prize money.

Tauranga Special School's chosen charity is Make a Wish, Greerton Village School and Bellevue School have chosen Kids Can, and Matahui School which is also entered in the First Timer category have chosen Katikati Cat Rescue as their charity.

Other organisations chosen by knitters include TECT Rescue Helicopter, Blind Low Vision Tauranga, Tauranga Womens' Refuge, RRR Rescue Revive Rehome, Otanewainuku Trust, SPCA, Child Cancer Foundation, Cancer Society, Multicultural Tauranga, Brain Injured Children's Charity, Greerton Village Kindergarten and Mental Health Foundation Tauranga.

Three of the trees ‘wearing' their newly knitted sleeves. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

The creative ideas for the trees range from a giant brain, to knitted animals and fruit, and one tree celebrating Matariki.

'There's some excellent trees. Just beautiful. I think once again people will be very pleased and very excited when they see them.”

Tauranga Special School have knitted sleeves for two trees for their chosen charity ‘Make a Wish'. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Sally says there is $2750 worth of prizes.

'$2000 has been donated by Ray White Greerton and $750 from the Greerton Village Community Association to encourage new people.”

It's now time for the public to vote for their favourite tree. The tree with the most public votes in any category will receive $500 for their charity and $250 for the creators.

Lorraine Muir, Edith Perry age 10 and Helen Perry underneath the butterfly hanging from the tree that Marilyn Mouat and Chrissy St Amant have knitted a sleeve for in support of TECT Rescue helicopter. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Both the 'School' and 'Emerging Artists (first timers)' categories will be judged with the winners in each receiving $300 for their charities and $200 for their creators.

There is an additional judges' decision-only open group prize, with $750 for the nominated charity and $250 for the creator of that tree.

Yarnbombing voting starts on Wednesday July 6 and runs to 10am Thursday August 4.

The winners will be made public on the Greerton Village Facebook page on Monday August 15.

To vote for your favourite tree click here

Greerton Village is also running a ‘Mid Winter Madness' shopping promotion until Monday July 18 with over 60 businesses involved and a total prize pool of $5000 Greerton Dollars.