Pilgrims Hospices Tree Recycling initiative a resounding success
Tree-mendous news! Pilgrims Hospices’ tree recycling initiative has achieved a tree-rific success! Over two weekends, from January 6th to 8th and January 13th to 15th, 2024, doorstep collections of Christmas trees took place, resulting in the collection of more than 3,270 real Christmas trees in Ashford, Canterbury, and Thanet. These trees were then recycled by dedicated volunteers and representatives of Pilgrims Hospices. The estimated funds raised from this initiative are an incredible £60,000, all of which will contribute to local hospice care.
This environmentally friendly fundraising initiative, which has been running for 12 years in Ashford and three years in Canterbury and Thanet, has been made possible through the generous donations of the community. Supporters of Pilgrims Hospices have been actively contributing to the care of the planet and hospice patients, one tree at a time.
Pilgrims Hospices would like to convey their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported this charity fundraising scheme. The collective support received enables the hospices to continue providing skilled and compassionate end-of-life care to individuals living with a life-limiting illness across east Kent.
Kate Duddell, the Head of Fundraising at Pilgrims Hospices, expressed her appreciation for the invaluable support provided by the dedicated volunteers, who generously donate their time, vehicles, and services for local hospice care. She emphasised that without their contribution, the tree recycling service could not be provided to the local community. Kate also extended her gratitude to all those who registered their trees for collection, indicating that each donation plays a vital role in helping Pilgrims Hospices meet their annual fundraising goal of £11 million.
Pilgrims Hospices would also like to thank their campaign partners, Kent County Council and FCC Environment, as well as the staff at the recycling centres, for their support. Additionally, a special thanks goes out to Canterbury City Council, Ashford Borough Council, and Thanet District Council for their dedicated years of support. These efforts were further bolstered by the contributions of numerous organisations, including A. Bird Trees and Gardens Ltd, Cordès Horticultural Ltd., Countrystyle Recycling Ltd, David Glew and Sons Garden Maintenance, David Parr Tree Surgeons, Givaudan, Harvey Waste Management, Jenner Contractors, Lord Mayor of Canterbury & Lady Mayoress, Macknade, Martin Fagg Garden Maintenance, MW Cave Ltd, Menzies, Practical Van Hire, Old Dairy Brewery, Pneuma Church, PSR Lighting & Signs Ltd, RE Tanner And Sons, Royal Mail, Select Plant Hire, Shadoxhurst Village Hall, Silent Gliss UK, Streetspace Group, Tree and Grounds Maintenance Ltd, Waitrose & Partners, and WW Martin. Their significant contribution greatly assisted in the success and expansion of the campaign.
Pilgrims Hospices remains committed to providing care and comfort to thousands of individuals in east Kent who are facing incurable illnesses. The organisation strives to enhance their quality of life, ensuring that they are free from pain and distress until the end.
About Pilgrims Hospices: Each year, Pilgrims Hospices provides care and support to thousands of individuals in east Kent who are grappling with incurable illnesses. Their mission is to help patients live their lives as fully as possible, free from pain and distress.
29th January 2023
Pilgrims Hospices Christmas tree recycling initiative is a record-breaking success
Come wind rain or shine, the doorstep collections of Christmas trees took place over two weekends, 6 – 9 January and 14 – 16 January 2023.
More than 3,150 real Christmas trees were collected by Pilgrims Hospices in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet and recycled by volunteers and representatives of Pilgrims.
The generous community donations raised an incredible £57,000 for local hospice care, exceeding the total from last year, by more than £10,000.
Supporters have been helping Pilgrims to take care of the planet, and hospice patients, one tree at a time, through generous donations given by members of the community as part of this environmentally-friendly fundraising initiative, which reached a milestone 11 years in Ashford and last year ‘branched out’ in Canterbury and Thanet.
Pilgrims wish to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported their charity fundraising scheme. Together, your support helps the hospices to continue providing skilled and compassionate end-of-life care to people living with a life-limiting illness across east Kent.
Kate Duddell, Pilgrims Hospices Fundraising Manager said: “We can only provide the tree recycling service to the local community with the invaluable support of our much-loved and dedicated volunteers who donate their time, vehicles and services for local hospice care, we just couldn’t do it without them. We think you are all amazing!”
Kate added: “I would like to say a huge thank you to everybody who registered their tree for collection, each and every donation makes a difference to the £11 million we have to fundraise each year in order to keep our services running.
“Our thanks also go to our campaign partners; Kent County Council and FCC Environment and all the staff at the Recycling Centres. Additionally, a very special thanks goes to Ashford Borough Council for their many dedicated years supporting the campaign, Canterbury City Council and Thanet District Council. Also, A. Bird Trees and Gardens Ltd, Cordès Horticultural Ltd., Countrystyle Recycling Ltd., David Glew and Sons Garden Maintenance, David Parr Tree Surgeons, Earle’s Landscapes Ltd., Givaudan, Jenner Contractors, Laing O’Rouke, Macknade, MW Cave Ltd., Old Dairy Brewery, Pneuma Church, PSR Lighting & Signs Ltd., RE Tanner and Sons, Royal Mail, Select Plant Hire, Silent Gliss UK, Streetspace Group, Tree and Grounds Maintenance Ltd, Waitrose & Partners, Watkins, and WW Martin, who all played a big part in helping us extend and deliver the campaign, and we thank each and every one of those involved.”
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices provide care and comfort to thousands of people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the end of life, free from pain and distress.
23rd December 2022
Tree-mendous news!
Tree-mendous news, Pilgrims Hospices Christmas Tree Recycling is returning to Canterbury, Ashford and Thanet this festive season.
The environmentally-friendly fundraising initiative makes saying farewell to your festive fir as easy as possible, so that you can enjoy a hassle-free end of the festive period, in the knowledge that you are supporting a much-loved local charity.
Help Pilgrims to take care of the planet and hospice patients one tree at a time!
All you have to do is register on Pilgrims’ website and make a donation of your choice. Pilgrims’ volunteer elves will collect your real tree from your doorstep, where it will continue on a journey to be recycled.
There’s no need to mess up your car with pine needles, Pilgrims volunteers will do all the hard work for you and, in return, you will be helping to support the vital end-of-life care of local people through your donation.
Kate Duddell, Pilgrims Hospices Fundraising Manager said: “It’s really important to dispose of your real tree in a sustainable way. We are grateful for the support of Canterbury City Council, the incredible ongoing support of Ashford Borough Council, who have now supported the campaign for 11 years, Thanet District Council, 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, and first, Christmas Tree Recycling campaign raised in excess of an amazing £42,000 and more than 2,250 real trees were collected by Pilgrims Hospices across east Kent. We hope the lovely and supportive local community will do the same again this year.”
Canterbury area
The doorstep collections will take place between 6 – 9 January 2023, but you need to register by midnight on Monday 2 January to book your collection. If you live in Canterbury, Sturry, Chartham, Bridge, Herne Bay, Chestfield, Whitstable, Seasalter or surrounding villages within the Canterbury City Council area, Pilgrims’ elves will come and collect your real Christmas tree!
Ashford area
The doorstep collections will take place between 14 – 16 January 2023, but you need to register by midnight on Monday 9 January to book your collection. If you live in Ashford, Tenterden, Charing, Wye. Appledore, Chilham or surrounding villages within the Ashford Borough Council area, Pilgrims elves’ will come and collect your real Christmas tree!
Thanet area
The doorstep collections will take place between 6 – 9 January 2023, but you need to get registered by midnight on Monday 2 January to book your collection. If you live in Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Margate, Westgate-on-Sea, Birchington, St Nicholas-at-Wade, Minster or all the surrounding villages Pilgrims elves will come and collect your real Christmas tree!
Faversham drop-off recycling station
If you live outside of the Canterbury City Council area, you can still support Pilgrims Hospices and recycle your real Christmas tree. You can bring your tree to Pilgrims designated drop-station at Macknade, Faversham, ME13 8XF on Saturday 7 (9:00 – 16:00) and Sunday 8 (10:00 – 16:00) January 2023. Please book online in advance here for the drop-off station at Macknade.
The scheme is delivered with the fir-tastic support of Kent County Council (KCC) and Kent’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC), FCC Environment, together with the local councils, all the parties are helping Pilgrims to recycle the trees; all for a good claus.
For more information about KCC, please visitkccmediahub.net.
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to thousands of people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
21st January 2022
Pilgrims Christmas Tree Recycling campaign becomes a tree-mendous record-breaking success for east Kent
Pilgrims Hospices Christmas tree recycling initiative has become a fir-tastic record-breaking success.
Doorstep collections of Christmas trees took place over two weekends, 8th and 9th and 15th – 16th January 2022 and more than 2,250 were collected and recycled by volunteers and representatives of Pilgrims Hospices.
Supporters have been helping Pilgrims to take care of the planet and hospice patients, one tree at a time, through generous donations given by members of the community as part of this environmentally-friendly fundraising initiative, which has reached a milestone 10 years in Ashford and ‘branched out’ for the first time in Canterbury and Thanet!
The campaign has become a record breaker and early estimations show that, in total, more than £41,000 has been raised through donations for the collections. This staggering amount would pay for more than 1,620 hours of specialist nursing care for hospice patients.
I would like to say a huge thank you to everybody who registered their tree for collection
Kate Duddell – Pilgrims
This tree-mendous amount brings the total raised from the initiative since its inception 10 years ago to an incredible total of £165,000 over the years.
The campaign was only made possible with the support of Kent County Council and FCC Environment, Kent’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC). Together the parties have helped Pilgrims deliver the long running 10th year of the Ashford campaign, yet also helped to extend the scheme into two new areas of Canterbury and Thanet. This year the charity ‘branched out’ with the aim to recycle more trees than ever before, which the charity hoped would raise more to help deliver vital end-of-life care for the people of east Kent.
The support of KCC has played an integral role in expanding the initiative. Cabinet Member for Environment Susan Carey said: “I welcome this initiative to support Pilgrims Hospices and thank all the partner organisations and volunteers who have made this recycling campaign possible.”
Kate Duddell, Fundraising Manager said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to everybody who registered their tree for collection, each and every donation makes a difference to the £11 million we have to fundraise each year in order to keep our services running.
“We simply could not run the campaign without the many volunteers lending their time, vans, support or facilities, including the staff at the Recycling Centre, FFC Environment, special thanks to Kent County Council, Ashford Borough Council, Canterbury City Council and Thanet District Council, Givaudan, Medash Signs, Countrystyle Recycling Ltd, Earles Landscapes Ltd, Tree and Grounds Maintenance Ltd, Old Dairy Brewery, Laing O’Rourke, Cordes Horticultural, Asda and Ashford Vineyard, Waitrose, MW Cave Ltd, Canterbury City Council, Thanet District Council, Core Waste Management, A Bird Trees and Gardens and Forty Seven Reclaimed, all of these groups of people have played a big part in helping us extend and deliver the campaign and we thank each and every one of those involved.”
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices provide care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the end of life, free from pain and distress.
2nd December 2020
Christmas Tree Recycling branching out with the support of Kent County Council and FCC Environment.
Pilgrims Hospices, east Kent’s hospice charity, has tree-mendous news. Pilgrims Hospices is proud to be rolling out the renowned Christmas Tree Recycling fundraising campaign into Canterbury and Thanet for the first time.
The environmentally-friendly fundraising initiative has been running in the Ashford Borough Council area for 8 years, with support of the local Council, and has raised an incredible £115,000 to help deliver vital care for patients facing an incurable illness in east Kent.
Now with the fir-tastic support of Kent Country Council and Kent’s new Household Waste and Recycling Centre and Transfer Station partner, FCC Environment, together both parties are helping Pilgrims with the extension of the scheme. The charity will be creating new easy-to-access Christmas tree drop-off points for residents of the Canterbury City and Thanet District areas, together with the long running Ashford area’s traditional household collections.
Help Pilgrims to take care of the planet and hospice patients one tree at a time. When it comes to residents saying farewell to the festive fir, the charity can help residents enjoy a hassle-free end to the Christmas period with the environmentally-friendly service. Charity supporters can register real trees in return for a donation and Pilgrims team of volunteer elves will do the hard work in unison with FFC Environment at the Recycling Centres in Ashford, Canterbury and Margate.
In January, over 1,350 trees were collected in the Ashford area and in excess of £21,000 was raised for the vital services. This year the charity hopes that residents in Canterbury and Thanet will help their local hospice by donating online and booking their tree in for the initiative taking place in Canterbury at the University of Kent and in Thanet at Arlington Car Park on 9-10th January. Household collections in Ashford will take place from 16-19th January 2021.
The collected trees will be turned into power for renewable sources and sustainable fuel. What’s even better is that, whilst helping to support the charity, residents will be reducing their environmental impact too.
The support of KCC has played an integral role in expanding the initiative. Cabinet Member for Environment Susan Carey said: “We are very happy to be supporting the popular tree recycling campaign for Pilgrims Hospices and welcome its expansion beyond Ashford. The recycling of Christmas trees has raised over £115,000 over the last 8 years and its hoped the expansion will bring in more much needed funds for the vital work of the hospice. My thanks go to the KCC waste and environment team and to our contractors FCC for supporting the care Pilgrims Hospices provides to those facing incurable illness.”
FCC Environment’s Operations Director Steve Longdon explained: “We only recently took over the running of the 12 HWRCs in Mid and East Kent and so it’s great to be able to get involved so early into the contract with local initiatives like this one which directly benefits such a good local cause.”
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices provide care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the end of life, free from pain and distress.
20th January 2020
Christmas tree recycling campaign is a record breaker
Pilgrims Hospices Christmas Tree Recycling campaign has broken records this year with a staggering 1,350 trees being collected over Ashford and Tenterden on 11 January 2020.
For the eighth year running, the generous residents of the Ashford Borough from Wye to Wittersham, Willesborough to Woodchurch, donated money in return for their Christmas trees to be collected and recycled by Pilgrims Hospices.
A team of over 90 dedicated volunteers and colleagues from local businesses collected the trees on Saturday 11 January. The campaign will raise more than£21,000 for hospice care in east Kent.
The scheme received tremendous amounts of community support with several local businesses gifting their time and vans to help collect the trees. Local businesses lending a hand included vans and crews from Givaudan, Menzies, Medash Signs Ltd, Practical Van Hire Ashford, Waitrose, Countrystyle Recycling Ltd, Earles Landscapes, Select Plant Hire, Ace Transport, Dave Lowe, Bilsington Priory, Bill Cordes and Pilgrims Hospices retail team.
We simply could not run the campaign without the many volunteers lending their time.
Louise Newman, Pilgrims Hospices
A total of 29 vans were out in force around the area collecting the trees of all shapes and sizes, which were taken to Ashford Household Waste Recycling Centre in Cobbs Wood for recycling.
Louise Newman, Pilgrims Hospices Community Fundraising Manager said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to everybody who registered their tree for collection, each and every donation makes a difference to the £11 million we have to fundraise every year in order to keep our services running.
“We simply could not run the campaign without the many volunteers lending their time, vans, or facilities, including the staff at the Ashford Recycling Centre and Ashford Vineyard who help us with this campaign. We thank each and every one of those involved. Our headline sponsor, Ashford Borough Council, has also gone above and beyond to help support the campaign, for which we are very grateful.
We are all absolutely thrilled to have broken previous records again this year.
Louise Newman, Pilgrims Hospices
“We are all absolutely thrilled to have broken previous records again this year, but as the numbers continue to grow we will need even more crews to help. If you can help in 2021 or know someone who would like to get involved in the scheme, we would love to hear from you in the coming few weeks. Or, if you are a business and would like to sponsor the event, we’d also love to hear from you. Simply email fundraising@pilgrimshospices.org.”
This year alone, Pilgrims Hospices has to raise £11 million through voluntary donations in order to run our full range of services. Sponsorship raised through events like these helps us to continue caring for local people at the end of their lives.
