Tree-mendous service success

In a tree-mendous effort, more than 650 Christmas trees, that have brought families, friends and loved ones together this festive season, have been collected and recycled, far surpassing last years effort.

In November, we announced the service was back for its second year, offering the hassle free collection of your real tree in exchange for a small donation which will go towards helping us support local babies, children, young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families.

We would like to thank everyone who donated this year across the various TW and GU postcode areas. Your efforts collectively raised over £16,000, over two and a half times the amount we raised last year!

In collaboration with JustHelping, a UK charity who aim to empower communities to raise money for local causes, Shooting Star Children’s Hospices will receive 90% of the funds raised, while the remaining 10% will be allocated to support other local charities.

A special note of gratitude goes out to the incredible companies who made this year’s success possible. Our main sponsor Stirling Ackroyd, the students and staff at Merrist Wood College, as well as their friends at Makita, The Tree Agency, Amazon, Kier, Sky, Just Helping and GoodGym, who all played pivotal roles in supporting the service.

The success of this fundraising initiative is a result of the collective efforts of all involved, including all our volunteers and partners who so generously gave their time, skills and expertise.

Across two days in January, an army of elves generously gave their time to collect trees which are in the process of being recycled into environmentally friendly compost by Merrist Wood College for the Guildford-based collection. Meanwhile, trees will be chipped sustainably by The Tree Agency for the Hampton-based collection.

Corporate Relationship Manager, Ellie Constable said, “This year marked the return of our Christmas Tree Collection service, and once again it was a huge success.”

“We are incredibly grateful to all of our partners who helped make this collection possible, as well as all of our supporters who registered for their tree to be collected.

“It’s a brilliant initiative, mobilising local volunteers, sustainably recycling Christmas trees, as well as raising vital funds for children and their families who are facing the unimaginable.

“We’re already looking forward to growing the collection next year – roll on 2025!”

We couldn’t continue to provide the vital care we do without the support of our local community and businesses. Find out more ways you and your business could support your local children’s hospice here.