In January 2023, the sixth annual Christmas tree collection, led by The Hospice of St Francis and supported by local community groups and businesses, collected over 1,800 trees and recycled them into compost.
This year, the total donations from residents raised £32,000 for the Hospice. This is an increase of £4,000 from the previous year, making it the most successful collection to date. The campaign, now in its sixth year, has raised £112,000 for the Hospice which specialises in providing care for patients living with cancer, heart disease and a wide range of life-limiting illnesses.
The local volunteer groups included the Harpenden Lions, St Albans Lions, Hemel Hempstead Rotary, Seven Dwarves Rugby 7s and Culverhouse Gardens Ltd, JDR Tree Care and Nick Rogers. Once again, Veolia and St Albans District Council provided the means to recycle the trees into compost, making the district a leading authority on recycling in England.
Nikki Mills, Veolia’s St Albans Contract Manager, said:
“Thank you once again to all of the residents whose generosity has helped to support this wonderful tradition. I’m proud of the efforts of all of the volunteers who came together for the collections this year. All of the collected trees have been recycled which helps keep up our second tradition of maintaining one of the highest recycling rates in England.”
Hannah Greenshields, Community Fundraiser at The Hospice of St Francis, said: “A hospice is a gift a community gives to itself and we have been blown away by the enormous amount of support for our Christmas Tree Collection. It’s a vital fundraiser, helping our free care continue for local families. A massive thank you to all of our wonderful supporters for registering their trees, and to our team of 82 volunteers who gave up their precious time! A special shout out to the incredible local groups alongside the amazing Veolia. We couldn't do it without you all.”
For more information on how to recycle in St Albans please visit www.stalbans.gov.uk/recycling-and-rubbish.
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