Pilgrims Hospices Christmas Tree Recycling

Welcome to the Pilgrims Hospices Christmas Tree Recycling fundraising campaign!

A group of four people wearing Hi Vis jackets, standing in front of a van and with real Christmas trees.

A group of three people wearing Hi Vis jackets, standing in front of a van and with real Christmas trees.

A group of four people wearing Hi Vis jackets, posing with real Christmas trees.

Two people wearing Hi Vis jackets, standing inside a van with a real Christmas tree.

When it comes to saying farewell to your festive fir, Pilgrims Hospices can help you enjoy a hassle-free end to the Christmas period with our environmentally-friendly service, that also raises vital funds for end-of-life care. Every tree that is collected in Ashford, Canterbury or Thanet, will help to care for people facing an incurable illness in our community.

Simply register your real Christmas tree for collection for a chosen donation and our friendly team of Pilgrims volunteers will then take your tree to be recycled. Pilgrims Hospices nurses will be providing care and comfort, free of charge, to hundreds of families facing an incurable illness this festive season so please give generously when booking online.

Help us to care for the planet, and our patients, one tree at a time by registering your tree for collection today!

Register your tree for collection today!

All trees for doorstep collections need to be pre-registered and we will be unable to accept any booking made after the closing deadlines.

The last Christmas tree recycling campaign raised over

£

for local hospice care. Enough to pay for more than 2,400 hours of specialist nursing care.

A group of five Pilgrims Hospices nurses, dressed in blue uniforms, holding a handwritten sign that says: Thank You!

The scheme works differently depending on your area, so please find the information relevant to you by clicking on the buttons below.

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Ashford Borough Council Area

Canterbury City Council Area

Thanet District Council Area

Faversham Drop-Off Station

Ashford Borough Council Area

Doorstep collections from Saturday 11^th to Sunday 12^th January 2025. Teams of Pilgrims volunteer elves will do all the hard work for you by collecting your tree from your home address anywhere within the Ashford Borough Council area, and, in turn, you will be helping to support the vital end-of-life care of local people through your donation. Register your tree and donate by midnight on Sunday 5th January 2025.

We will be collecting in the following areas:

Ashford
Tenterden
Charing
Wye
Appledore
Chilham
All surrounding villages within the Ashford Borough Council area

Register your tree for collection today!

Check whether your address is in the Ashford Borough Area via this map

Canterbury City Council Area

If you live within the Canterbury City Council area, our friendly team is able to collect your real Christmas tree from your household. Register your tree and donate by midnight on Sunday 5th January. Doorstep collections will take place from Friday 10^th to Sunday 12^th January 2025.

We will be collecting in the following areas:

Canterbury
Sturry
Chartham
Bridge
Herne Bay
Chestfield
Whitstable
Seasalter
Surrounding villages within the Canterbury City Council area

Register your tree for collection today!

Check whether your address is in the Canterbury City Council area here!

Pilgrims volunteer elves will be collecting trees on specially-planned routes from households within the Canterbury City Council area. Once booked, the Pilgrims team will email you to confirm your registration, and also in the days prior to the collection with instructions for your tree.

Thanet District Council Area

If you live within the Thanet District Council area, our friendly team is able to collect your real Christmas tree from outside your property. Register your tree and donate by midnight on Sunday 5th January. Doorstep collections will take place from Friday 10^th to Sunday 12^th January 2025.

We will be collecting in the following areas:

Margate
Ramsgate
Broadstairs
Westgate-on-Sea
Birchington
St Nicholas-at-Wade
Minster
Surrounding villages within the Thanet District Council area

Register your tree for collection today!

Check whether your address is in the Thanet District Council area here!

Pilgrims volunteer elves will be collecting trees on specially-planned routes from households. Once booked, the Pilgrims team will email you to confirm your registration, and also in the days prior to the collection with instructions for your tree.

Faversham Drop Off Station

If you live outside of the Canterbury City Council area, in areas such as Faversham or Hernehill, your tree can still be recycled by bringing it to Macknade, Faversham, at our designated drop off station. You can book your tree's slot at the drop off station by clicking here, or you can make a donation to Pilgrims Hospices on the day.

Register your tree for drop-off today!

We are incredibly grateful for the support of the community, and the huge number of volunteers, and local businesses who give up their time to help us raise vital funds in early January.
Our last Christmas Tree Recycling campaign raised in excess of £60,000 and an amazing 3,250 real trees were collected by Pilgrims Hospices across east Kent. We hope we will do the same again this year!”
Kate Duddell - Head of Fundraising

How are the Christmas trees recycled?

Once your tree has been collected by our volunteer elves, it's then either taken to the Cobbs Wood Recycling Centre, Ashford or chipped directly on-site at one of our three Hospices.

From there, some of the chippings are then taken to an outlet at Blaise Farm in West Malling where they're composted within a covered building system. The compost produced is then used for agricultural purposes as a soil improver and the chippings are used for general composting and within our very own Hospice grounds!

Therefore what's even better is that, whilst helping to support the charity, you will be reducing your environmental impact too! So, as you can see, your tree's onward journey is far more valuable than just being put out after Christmas, you are helping us to take care of the planet and our patients one tree at a time.