Christmas Tree Recycling – Terms & Conditions

The Christmas Tree Recycling scheme, hereafter referred to as the “campaign activity”, is a fundraising activity organised by Pilgrims Hospices the “organiser”. Pilgrims Tree Recycling campaign is operated as a free service by the charity, Pilgrims Hospices. Please show your appreciation by giving generously to support Pilgrims Hospices to be there for the next family who needs our specialist care and support. In 2024 more than £60,000 was raised for the charity and more than 3,250 trees collected by volunteer crews across Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet.

I understand it is my responsibility to read and abide by any terms and conditions issued by the Organiser, as detailed below.

I agree that all details provided to the Organiser within my registration are true and correct at time of submission. It is the Participant’s responsibility to ensure full compliance with these Terms and Conditions. I agree to the following:

• Registration to the activity is only finalised once the booking has been completed via the online registration form. If the booking made by me, or on behalf of me, in respect of the booking, fails or is blocked for whatever reason, at any time prior to the activity, my entry will be cancelled. Please ensure you receive a confirmation email.
• All online booking forms must be received by the Organiser before midnight on the Sunday 5^th January 2025 prior to the campaign activity date. This deadline is subject to change if the “campaign activity” reaches the full capacity prior to the above date: capacity will be reached when all volunteer/staff crews vehicle capacity is reached to safely operate the event in daylight hours over the course of the campaign activity days. This is to ensure the safety of all Hospice representatives.
• Our volunteer tree collectors will be working hard to collect hundreds of trees across the weekend. So, when booking, please give an accurate description of the location where the tree will be left at your property, including a What3Words

• Please let us know when booking if you have more than one tree (maximum of 2 trees per household).
• I agree to participate in the activity and will not to authorise or permit any third party to use my property for the activity and not to transfer or give any other person the right to participate under my booking.

• The Organiser reserves the right to close, disable or remove from its website the online registration form at any time should capacity be reach and a message will be added to the website and booking form, confirming this to be the case.

Collections will take place between the following dates:

• Ashford collections: Saturday 11^th – Sunday 12^th January 2025 from 7:30am – 16:30pm.
• Canterbury collections: Friday 10^th – Sunday 12^th January 2025 from 7:30am – 16:30pm.
• Thanet collections: Friday 10^th – Sunday 12^th January 2025 from 7:30am – 16:30pm.

• All trees must be left in a clearly visible place at your property, and must be easily and safely accessible for our team. We cannot accept responsibility for collecting your tree without accurate instructions and we cannot return to collect trees which could not be easily found by our crews.
• Any trees over 8ft tall or 4ft wide must be chopped ideally in half or into reasonably-sized pieces in advance of collection. Larger trees will not be collected due to vehicle capacity restrictions.
• Trees with decorations, in bases or pots will not be collected, as these cannot be recycled with the trees. Please make sure only the tree is left out for collection.
• Trees must be left at the exterior of the front of your property. Please do not block public access. You agree to obey the Country Code and Highway Code, and any shared use pathway signage, and acknowledge the importance of remaining aware of other path users.
• If your tree is not left out in a clearly visible place during the operating times, as listed above, the organiser cannot return to collect your tree at a later date. The charity has thousands of trees to collect in just 4 days with more than 100 volunteers and staff helping to collect the trees. Trees that are not left out and still up with decorations unfortunately, we will not be able to return to collect them for a second time. This is due to the extensive route planning and vehicle capacity and hours of daylight over just 3 campaign days. Homeowners of trees that cannot be collected will have a slip posted through the door.

• Pilgrims Hospices representatives will not be permitted to enter within any personal property to collect the tree/s. Trees must be left out in a clearly visible place.
• I agree at all times during the activity to abide by the reasonable instructions and guidelines of campaign staff, volunteers, nominated representatives, and contractors. You acknowledge and agree that Pilgrims Hospices will organise and operate the activity and will have sole authority and be the final arbiter on all decisions relating to the following aspects of the campaign activity: health and safety, logistical operations, participation, and general organisation. This includes postponement of the event should there be adverse weather conditions due to the safety of volunteer/staff crews collecting the trees. You will be communicated with by email should the activity be postponed and a message will be placed on the website and social media channels.

• The Tree Recycling campaign is operated by Pilgrims Hospices to raise funds for end-of-life care across east Kent. The campaign raises vital funds, however should we have not collected your tree between the campaign activity dates, we can process a refund of your donation.
• Any cancellation must be received by Monday 6^th January, beyond this point, your collection has been route mapped and added to volunteer rounds.
• Your booking cannot be transferred to another household and extra trees that haven’t been booked won’t be collected, this is due to vehicle capacity and routes are planned to ensure that we can fit all the booked trees into the collection vehicles.
• If you wish to receive a refund of your donation, please email [email protected] with your name and address. All refunds will be processed within a week of the request being received. Refunds will take 3-5 business days to be processed.
• You agree to participate in the “activity” and will not to authorise or permit any third party to use my property for the “activity” and not to transfer or give any other person the right to participate under my booking.

By submitting a booking form for the “campaign activity”, the donor acknowledges and agrees that their personal details provided will be used in accordance with the Pilgrims Hospices Privacy Policy.

Pilgrims Hospices are registered under the Data Protection Act and will never share, sell or swap your details with any third party for the purposes of their own marketing or the monetising of your data.

If you have any complaints or concerns about the way in which Pilgrims Hospices operated this event, please let us know by emailing [email protected]. We will carry any appropriate investigations and comes back to you as soon as possible.