A ‘treemendous’ haul of Christmas trees leads to thousands

Thousands of Christmas trees have led to thousands of pounds as our Christmas tree recycling service proved to be a record-breaker. 

For the past few years, St Nicholas Hospice Care’s House Clearance Team have paused their usual activities at the start of January and instead focused their attention on the organisation’s Christmas tree recycling service.

This year a bumper crop of around 2,500 festive firs teamed with a whole heap of support from the community has meant that the service has raised its biggest total ever, a wonderful £10,195 (figure includes Gift Aid donations).

Darren Devine, the Hospice’s House Clearance and Retail Support Manager, said: “What a way to start the year by raising such an amazing sum for the charity. The service has continued to grow in popularity over the years, but this year we have really been blown away by its success.

“I would like to thank everyone who used the service and all of those who donated, to have raised more than £10,000 really is fantastic and we are so grateful to everyone for their support. A special thank you must go to The Euston Estate who have recycled all of the trees for us free of charge. Their generosity has made such a difference to us this year, and we’re so grateful.”

The funds raised will help support the work the Hospice does across the area to care for those facing dying, caring and grief. 

The trees, which were collected from across Bury St Edmunds, its surrounding villages as well as parts of Haverhill, Sudbury, Mildenhall and Thetford, were all taken to The Euston Estate, where they will be turned into wood chippings and then placed around newly planted trees.

Andrew Blenkiron, Estate Director at Euston Estate, said: “We were more than happy to help support such a worthy cause.

“I am pleased that so many people supported the service this year and it was able to grow and raise such a great amount.

“Euston Rural Pastimes hasn’t been able to go ahead for the last two years, so supporting the Christmas tree recycling service was a way we could continue our support for the Hospice.”