CHRISTMAS trees will once again be collected and recycled to raise funds for a Worcester-based hospice.
Volunteers from St Richard’s Hospice will stride out across the county to collect trees on Friday January 10 and Saturday January 11.
Households and businesses can register their real tree before 10am on Monday January 6, and volunteers will collect it to be recycled.
Hospice spokesperson Ria Simons said: “While trees are only just going up for the festive season, we’re already busy planning our collection to take the hassle out of the post-Christmas tidy up.
“This will be the ninth year St Richard’s has run this scheme, which raises important funds for our care of patients living with an illness which cannot be cured and support for their loved ones.
“This wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of everyone who supports this campaign – not least the army of volunteers who venture out to collect and recycle thousands of trees each year.”
Collections will take place in the WR1, WR2, WR3, WR4, WR5, WR6, WR7, WR8, WR9, WR10, WR11, WR12, WR13, WR14 and WR15 postcode areas.
Anyone who registers a tree for collection will have the option to donate to St Richard’s.
Last year, 185 volunteers collected 2,560 trees and the campaign raised £50,183, after costs, for St Richard’s.
Tree collections can be registered on the hospice’s website www.strichards.org.uk/christmas-tree-collection or by calling the fundraising team on 01905 958262.
The campaign is supported by Aptean, which creates route maps to guide the volunteers during tree collections, St Peters Garden Centre, and Leigh Sinton Christmas Trees.
St Richard’s Hospice is an independent charity offering free, expert care for adults with an illness that cannot be cured, and support for their loved ones and carers.
Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,100 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.
It will cost in the region of £12million to run the hospice this year, which includes patient care and all the necessary support services.
