A Christmas tree recycling service for Blythe House Hospicecare and Helen’s Trust has raised over £8,000 for local patient care – the highest amount raised in the campaign’s history.

The treecycle initiative, sponsored by Home Instead High Peak, took place on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th January, across the High Peak, Hope Valley and Derbyshire Dales.

More than 550 real Christmas trees were collected from SK17, SK22, SK23, S33, S32 andDE45 postcodes, with support for the 7th year running from S ‘n’ S Trees in New Mills. 

Sophie Wheeldon, senior community fundraiser at the hospice said: ‘I’d like to say a genuine thank you to everyone who was involved in making our treecycle initiative the best it has ever been! The amount of trees registered beat last year’s total by more than 200! There is always a great buzz and camaraderie amongst staff and volunteers, as everyone works together so well to coordinate collections and dropping trees off for chipping. 

‘Sincere thanks to Home Instead High Peak for sponsoring the campaign, meaning that every single penny donated can be spent directly on patient care. Also, to Simon and his team at S ‘n’ S Trees for supporting the event once again; without them we simply wouldn’t be able tofacilitate the collections. 

‘We send our gratitude to our amazing volunteers, as well as colleagues from Cemex UK, NQIS Ltd and Enterprise Buxton, who supported the hospice with tree collections; Buxton and Bakewell Rugby Clubs, The Travellers Rest at Brough, and Markovitz in Tideswell for allowing us to use their car parks or yards for tree tipping and chipping. Also, to 1st Taxal Scouts who leafleted in their local community to raise awareness of the service, as well asMorrison’s in Buxton, Pug and Pudding in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Sett Valley Café in Birch Vale, and Katie’s Diner in Dove Holes, who donated food and hot drinks for our hardworking volunteers.’

Simon Dowell, owner of S ‘n’ S Trees, said: ‘I am so pleased to have been involved in making this year’s treecycle campaign the best yet! I am proud to support the hospice after it has cared for beloved family members and friends in the past; it’s a vital local service and one that we must all support to ensure it’s around for many more people in years to come.’ 

Paul Vickers, director at Home Instead High Peak, commented: ‘We have been a proud supporter of Blythe House over the last 15 years and delighted to support the valuable work that they do. We are so glad that the treecycle campaign has been so successful; it’s fantastic to see people putting their trees to good use whilst raising valuable funds.’

Steve Garret, 1st Taxal Scouts leader, said: ‘A very important role for the Scouting movement is supporting the local community. There are many deserving causes, but finding activities which can be run safely during an evening meeting is difficult. Leaflet drops in support of such a fantastic local charity is a great way for 1st Taxal to contribute in a meaningful way.’  

Will Batterbee, Buxton Rugby Club chairman, commented: ‘I am proud that a community-focused organisation like Buxton Rugby Club can contribute in a small way to helping such a fantastic charity like Blythe House, who do such good, essential work in the local community.’ 

All trees have been chipped and donated to local community initiatives including to Alistair Macbeth of Buxton Micro Dairy. He said: ‘We were so grateful to accept the tree chippings which we will be using as a mulch to support new hedges that we are planting this winter.The use of wood chip will help to suppress weeds and grasses that would outcompete the young tree saplings. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the donation of this woodchip; it's great to see these largely discarded trees being used to grow new trees.’