Willen Hospice is celebrating after successfully completing its third Christmas tree collection scheme, raising over £8,500 in the process.
Companies and individual volunteers helped the charity to collect around 765 trees, a 25% increase on last year’s number.
Willen Hospice expanded the collection area to an even wider list of postcodes than in the previous two years. Residents who booked a collection were asked to make a donation to help support the care provided by the Hospice.
Community Fundraiser Nikki Poole said: “We had an incredibly positive response to our tree recycling scheme. Thanks to everyone who made a booking for us to collect their tree and to help us raise funds for our Hospice.
“A great deal of planning went into the project, and the highlight for us was that so many enthusiastic volunteers gave up their weekend to come together and carry out the collection operation.”
The chippings will be turned into mulch and mixed with manure for use on local farmlands.
Following its success, the Hospice hopes to run the collection scheme in more areas next Christmas.
Willen Hospice needs to raise £4.7 million a year, that’s £9 every minute of the day, to continue to provide specialist end of life care to patients in Milton Keynes and surrounding areas.
