The charity’s Tree-cycle fundraising scheme is sponsored by Tree & Lawn Company, and is returning to towns and villages across Colchester and Tendring for another Christmas and new for 2025, will be collecting registered trees in Harwich.

In return for a donation to St Helena Hospice, real trees from homes and businesses in postcodes CO1-CO9 and CO11-CO16 which are pre-registered through the charity’s Christmas Tree-cycle initiative, will be collected for recycling by volunteers between Friday 10th and Monday 13th January 2025. 

All donations made will help St Helena Hospice to provide compassionate care and support people across north east Essex who face incurable illness and bereavement.

Jo Clarke, public fundraising manager at St Helena Hospice, said:

“This year, we’re excited to expand our Christmas Tree-cycle to Harwich, as well as continuing to collect trees across the rest of Colchester and Tendring. This means we will be able to collect more trees and raise more money for St Helena Hospice, helping ensure we can be there for the people you love, when they need us.  

“So, if you’re planning on purchasing a real tree this year, let us help you with some of the post-Christmas clear up! By registering your tree for Tree-cycle, you can help not only your local hospice, but also the environment!

“We couldn’t do this without our jolly old Elf Squad volunteers! We would love people to volunteer to help with collections by going out with drivers to load trees into vans, recycling the trees at centres, or even by lending us their vans, and help us spread some post-Christmas joy!”

Registration closes at midnight on Sunday 5th January 2025 and people in postcodes can beat the rush and register now for Tree-cycle at www.sthelena.org.uk/treecycle25 

To volunteer to be part of the Elf Squad, email St Helena’s fundraising team at fundraising@sthelena.org.uk or call 01206 931 468.