Christmas tree recycling scheme in Gloucestershire helping hospice
The initiative offers eco-friendly fundraising
Sue Ryder’s Christmas tree recycling scheme is returning this year, offering an eco-friendly way to dispose of festive trees while raising vital funds for its hospice services in Gloucestershire.
The initiative, which has been running for nine years, invites residents in the area to have their real Christmas tree collected after the festive season in exchange for an optional donation.
The trees are then chipped, with the chippings used to line paths through Sue Ryder’s woodlands or turned into biomass to aid local greenery.
Christmas tree collections will take place between 12th and 16th January 2024.
Sue Ryder is calling on volunteers to help with the collection process in January.
Alysia Cameron-Price, Community Fundraising Manager at Sue Ryder’s Hampton Court Hospice, said the scheme relies entirely on volunteers to collect trees. “If anybody would like to help us collect trees, then please get in touch. Facebook’s probably the best option,”
Last year, the Christmas tree cycling scheme raised £36,500 for Sue Ryder and saved 1,579 trees from going to landfill.
The funds raised are vital for keeping hospice services running with Sue Ryder’s Gloucestershire hospice being the county’s only inpatient unit offering specialist care.
The funds also support bereavement assistance and the hospice’s ‘Grief Kind’ spaces and services.
“It costs £16,000 a day to run all of our services, which means millions of pounds a year,” said Alysia.
“This scheme helps us to continue caring for families while doing something kind for the environment, it’s a win-win.”