Christmas Tree Collections January 2022

Our Christmas tree collection bookings have now closed. We are unable to accept any further bookings.

From Friday 14 January, and for a busy few days afterwards, a small army of Wirral Hospice St John’s volunteers, eager to work off their festive feasting, will be buzzing all around Wirral picking up used REAL Christmas trees from outside people’s homes and businesses.

Around thirty large vans, many of which have been lent to the hospice, are sent everywhere around Wirral. One person will take the wheel and navigate a pre-planned postcode route, while one or two crew members, will pick up the tree from each address and load it onto the back of the van.

With more than 8 days after twelfth night before collection, the trees will be COVID safe to whisk away. All volunteers will have gloves, a liberal supply of hand sanitiser and masks ready if they need to converse with a homeowner and, of course, everyone will be working outdoors.

Once each van is fully loaded it’s driven to various pre-arranged temporary ‘drop-sites’ around Wirral to offload for chipping, then it’s back on the road heading out for the next load. The chipped trees have further recycled uses, maybe in biofuel or even spread around at community farms and paddocks. Other small local charities also receive around ten per cent of the monies raised.

All the people who give their valuable time are well fed and watered while fuel costs are offered to everyone who volunteers the use of their van(s).

Elaine Connell, Wirral Hospice St John’s fundraising officer, says:

“People from all over Wirral really get behind our Christmas tree collection campaign. We know it’s a lot of fun for our hardy volunteers who come back year after year. We’re extremely grateful to everyone who supports Wirral Hospice St John’s, including all those who give up their valuable time and the use of their vehicles to help with the collections and, of course, all those people who make their generous donations for us to pick up their used real Christmas trees.

We’re also very grateful to those organisations who lend a hand, equipment or valuable drop-off space.”