In January 2009 the Christmas tree collection raised over £45,000 for the East Cheshire Hospice to help meet it’s £5,500 per day running costs, breaking the previous record of £36,600. In addition £7,400 was reclaimed from the government under the Gift Aid Scheme.
The 2010 collection marks a decade of collecting trees, during which time over £159,000 has been donated to the hospice. This year the collection team are aiming to raise over £50,000 for the Hospice by collecting over 5000 trees and recycling over 50 tonnes. The number registered so far is 2096.
In 2009 over 4,300 individual collections were made, from over 1,450 different roads, using 30 lorries and the support of over 120 helpers each day. Richard Raymond who helps organise the collection said “We had volunteer drivers, navigators, helpers, supporters, chefs, coffee-makers and biscuit-makers. Meals were on the hoof, chocolate goodies turned up in each vehicle and our chefs provided lunch which was devoured as though people hadn’t eaten in weeks.”
The 2010 Christmas Tree collection will take place on the 9th and 10th of January and as Richard explained the “The thought of all that mess in the car or cutting and bagging up with the associated trip to the tip are not part of Christmas that people enjoy. They are therefore only too grateful to donate a modest sum and allow someone else to do the dirty work for them. Add the environmental recycling element and a champion charitable cause of the East Cheshire Hospice and you have a great idea.”
The suggested minimum per tree is £4 but if you are able to donate more then this is obviously greatly appreciated and every £1 raised goes directly to the hospice.
So if you live in the SK9, SK10, SK11, SK12 or WA16 post code areas and would like to 'save all the mess in your car' by having your tree collected then you can register your tree for collection online, before 7th January.
We used the service last year and can certainly recommend it.
