Longfield Community Hospice in Minchinhampton has launched its annual Christmas Tree Recycling Campaign, where, for a voluntary donation, the charity's team of volunteers will collect your trees at the end of the festive season and take them to be recycled.

The hospice is hoping to collect and recycle more trees than ever this year and raise in excess of £40,000, which could help fund over 700 hours of Hospice at Home care.

In previous years, as many as 2,800 households from across Stroud District, Cirencester and Gloucester have taken part in the scheme.

Once collected, the trees will be taken to recycling sites across Gloucestershire, including Painswick Rococo Garden and Highfield Garden Centre, where they will be chipped into mulch and reused at those sites making it an eco-friendly way to dispose of your tree.

The scheme is endorsed by Stroud District Council, and Gloucester City Council (working with Ubico) is also supporting the initiative by providing two recycling sites.

Cllr Chloe Turner, chair of Stroud District Council Environment Committee said: "I'm delighted that Stroud District Council is supporting this initiative that benefits the brilliant work carried out by Longfield Hospice.

"One of the priorities in our Council Plan is Environment and Climate Change. We have pledged to reduce the quantity of resources sent to incineration, encourage and support local initiatives to reduce, repair and recycle, and continue to increase recycling rates across the district. The Longfield Christmas Tree recycling campaign will contribute to all those goals."

Louise Cook, Longfield's head of Fundraising and Marketing, said: "This year we're hoping to make this the best Christmas Tree Recycling Campaign ever and are so grateful to all those who are helping make this event happen. Please register your tree for collection - it's a convenient and charitable way of disposing of your tree sustainably and ensuring it doesn't end up in landfill. This means no needles in your car, no trips to the tip; we can do all the hard work for you whilst at the same time you are supporting your local community hospice.

"By getting involved with our campaign YOU are helping Longfield's Hospice give free care and support, 365 days a year to patients, their family and carers in Gloucestershire. By giving a voluntary donation of £10 you will be making an enormous difference locally."

All money raised helps to fund the hospice's vital work supporting patients, families and carers across Gloucestershire.

To arrange collection of your tree, visit www.just-helping.org.uk/register-tree where you can make a voluntary donation to your local community hospice. Bookings can be made from November 15 until January 3, 2023.

The fundraising team are also looking for volunteers, vans to collect Christmas trees, or tree chippers from January 8 to 10, 2023.

To volunteer either with your time or if you have a van or chipper, then please contact the events team on 01483 886868 or email events@longfield.org.uk.