Charity expands Berkshire Xmas tree recycling campaign

National healthcare and bereavement charity Sue Ryder is encouraging West Berkshire and south Oxfordshire residents to recycle their real Christmas trees.

The charity's Christmas Treecycling initiative raised more than £11,000 last year with around 700 trees collected and recycled into compost or wood chippings.

This year the scheme is being expanded to households in the OX10, RG1, RG2, RG4, RG5, RG6, RG7, RG8, RG9, RG10, RG30, RG31, RG40, RG41 postcodes with collections between 7-10 January 2025.

Last year Sue Ryder provided palliative care to thousands of families across the country, including those supported out of Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading and through Sue Ryder Palliative Care Hub South Oxfordshire. Sue Ryder's bereavement support includes an online community forum, free bereavement counselling service, personalised text support and Grief Kind Spaces in Reading, Finchampstead and Thatcham.

Care

Sue Soffe, Senior Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder said:

“Last year our Christmas Treecycling service across the UK kept 7,199 trees out of landfill, helping to reduce the impact on the environment. The initiative also raised over £119,000 for Sue Ryder – enough to fund over 4,000 hours of expert and compassionate palliative care from our nurses, so that fewer patients need face death alone.

“By choosing to recycle your real tree with an optional donation to Sue Ryder, your Christmas tree could become the gift of expert care and support for seriously ill people and their loved ones."

For more information and to secure your collection by midnight on 1 January 2025, visit www.sueryder.org/treethames.

Contact the fundraising team at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice with any queries on 0118 9550 433 or email: thamesvalley.fundraising@sueryder.org

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