Start 2022 with an act of kindness with hospice Christmas Tree Collection

Trinity Hospice is kick-starting its popular Christmas Tree collection with an appeal for volunteers to help collect trees from across the Fylde coast.

Teams of volunteer tree collectors will head out over the weekend of 8^th and 9^th January to collect the festive foliage and be part of a campaign which this year raised a record £23,000 for the hospice.

The collected trees will be taken to local designated recycling points and some will be used as part of ongoing work to restore the sand dunes at St Annes.

The hospice, which is based in Bispham, is in particular need of volunteers with large vehicles such as box vans, tipper vans, flat beds and cars with trailers.

Corporate Partnership Manager, Janet Atkins, said: “The tree collection is the perfect way to begin 2022 by helping to support local hospice care while doing something amazing for the environment.

“Last year was incredible for us. We had nearly 70 wonderful volunteers working hard over the weekend to collect more than 1,800 trees from across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. They all said they had a great time, knowing they had done something special to support their local hospice.

“We’ve increased our locations for next year’s collection, so we really do need more volunteers than ever to make this collection our best yet!”

Emma Lonican and Mark Robinson volunteered for this year’s collection in January, and said they would be looking to help out again this year.

Emma said: “Helping with the Tree Collection was such a lovely feeling – it was our way of giving something back to our community by supporting our local hospice, as well as helping the environment.

“It really was a great way to start the year with such a wonderful act of kindness, not just for charity and our home, but also to all those people who had booked their collection. I’m certainly looking to volunteer again.”

To sign up as a volunteer for the collection in January, and to book your tree collection, visit www.trinityhospice.co.uk/tree-collection.