This January, Dorothy House Hospice Care is running its biggest annual Christmas Tree Collection fundraiser in partnership with Justhelping. Local people can book their used Christmas tree in now for a charitable donation and Dorothy House supporters and volunteers will pick it up between 12th - 14th January 2024. The collection is running in seventeen local postcodes.

This year, the charity is offering Christmas tree collections in these seventeen postcodes BA1, BA2, BA3, BA4, BA11, BA12, BA13, BA14, BA15, SN11, SN12, SN13, SN14, SN15, SN16, BS31 and BS39 across Bath, Somerset and Wiltshire. Dorothy House offers a limited capacity collection which relies on volunteers and local businesses so get in touch if you can help by providing a van or volunteers.

Taking part is easy, visit www.just-helping.org.uk type in your postcode to check that your area is covered, make a donation and list where your tree will be located. Dorothy House asks for a donation to help fund their specialist palliative and end of life care services provided by the Hospice free of charge. All trees must be clearly marked with a label saying 'Dorothy House' and can be collected from businesses, schools, churches and offices. A percentage of trees will be chipped and shredded to make reusable materials for the community.

Since 2017 the Hospice's Christmas Tree Collection has raised in excess of £274,000. Dorothy House hopes to beat the £77,000 that was raised last collection. The Hospice has to raise £4 for every £1 it receives from the NHS to fund its care for local people living with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers.

Dorothy House's Christmas Tree Collection scheme is supported by many local businesses providing volunteers and vehicles including Wessex Water in Bath, Raceahead Services in Corsham, Mills Engineering Electrical Division, Western Skip Hire in Westbury, Corsham patio and fencing, Autoguide and Geoghegan Builders. Students from Lackham Agriculture College in Melksham will be helping with tree chipping after the January collection.

Other supporters include Pearns Tree Services and The Sweeping Company both from Frome, C&C Services and JHS Tree Services based in Keynsham. While 95% of the money raised, after costs, will go to Dorothy House, 5% of funds raised will go to other local charities.

Will Willoughby from Wessex Water said: ''Having taken part in the tree collection for a number of years now it has become a regular event in the calendar. Not only is it good fun getting out and about meeting plenty of inquisitive members of the public, but it gives a great sense of pride that we can do something quite small, in the grand scheme of things, which in the end has a hugely positive impact. Word is quickly getting round and we are having people trying to sign up to next year already''

Locally Delivered Christmas trees that give back!

One of the Dorothy House Christmas tree collectors, who has helped with the collection since day one, has started a new venture for 2023 of selling and delivering Christmas trees in the area that the hospice cover. Not only that, but for every tree sold, they will donate £5 back to the hospice. Home | Wiltshire Trees (wiltshirechristmastrees.co.uk)

The recycling scheme would not be possible without the kind support from so many local businesses:

Wessex Water, Steve Vick International, E & H Drylining, Raceahead Services, JHS Tree Services, Easy Storage, Sovreign Damp and Timber, Mills Engineering Electrical Division, Broughton Transport,The Holy Cow, Avonfield Kitchen, The Nursery, Moonraker Beds, Willmotts Transport Ltd, Whiterow Farm Shop, Frome Rugby Club, Corsham Patio and Fencing, Greenhill Tree Care, Pearns Tree Services, Geoghegan Builders, Western Skip Hire, Avon Valley Gardens, Lackham Agricultural College, Go Self Drive, Cumberwell Park, Willo's Fencing, The Sweeping Company, Islington Motor Group, Wessex Rural Crafts, ASE Couriers, Inspired Joinery, Floorings Frome, Bath ASU, Autoguide, Monarch Joinery, Amazon, SK Conservation, Phoenix Chimney Services and Asda Frome.

To book a Christmas tree collection and donate to Dorothy House please visit www.dorothyhouse.org.uk/support-us/christmas-tree-collection Or contact the team at Dorothy House Hospice Care on [email protected].

Eligible Postcodes for Dorothy House's Christmas tree collection 12 - 14 January 2024:

BA1 & BA2 - Bath

BA3 – Midsomer Norton/ Radstock

BA4 – Shepton Mallet

BA11- Frome

BA12 – Warminster

BA13 - Westbury

BA14- Trowbridge

BA15 – Bradford on Avon

SN11 - Calne

SN12 – Melksham

SN13 – Corsham

SN14 & SN15 – Chippenham

SN16 - Malmesbury

BS31 – Keynsham

BS39 - Paulton