A Christmas tree recycling scheme has raised £30,000 for a hospice.

St Clare Hospice collected more than 1,500 discarded Christmas trees from homes across Saffron Walden, Dunmow, and Takeley between January 11 and 13.

The annual initiative raises funds for the charity's specialist end-of-life care and support, and this year reached their highest total so far.

Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Saffron Walden spent three days collecting trees in Saffron Walden using their rotary van, while the team at Dunmow Waste Management provided the skips for tree chippings at the hospice site.

Dunmow Broadcast: St Clare volunteer Julie RoseSt Clare volunteer Julie Rose (Image: St Clare Hospice)

On one of the collection days, Weston Homes allowed the use of their business centre in Takeley as a drop-off point and tree chipping site.

A small army of helpers collected a total of 1,540 trees from doorsteps across the St Clare catchment area, including about 500 in Harlow and Epping Forest and more than 1,000 in Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth and Saffron Walden.

Ellie Gale, St Clare’s relationship fundraising manager, said: "Yet again we have been blown away by the response to our annual Christmas tree recycling scheme.

"This is an initiative that raises vital funds to ensure St Clare is there to help local people who need our compassionate care and support during challenging times.

"It also makes life easier for our supporters by sustainably disposing of their trees once the Christmas festivities are over, whilst also bringing together a group of truly wonderful people who willingly give up their time to pitch in and help.

Dunmow Broadcast: St Clare volunteer Peter RoseSt Clare volunteer Peter Rose (Image: St Clare Hospice)

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to every single person who booked for St Clare to collect and dispose of their tree for them this January.

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"You’ve helped get our 2024 fundraising off to an incredible start, helping your local hospice ensure that people who have a condition that can’t be cured don’t have to face it alone."

The eco-friendly scheme, run in partnership with JustHelping, also provided tree chippings for allotments in Saffron Walden, Dunmow, and Little Canfield.

As a result, the initiative saved more than 19,250kg of carbon dioxide equivalent, reducing the landfill burden by 80 per cent.