SOMETIMES money does grow on trees.

St Richard’s Hospice is feeling chipper after its success in the recent Christmas tree campaign.

Volunteers recycled 2,040 Christmas trees and raised £33,659 for the hospice – doubling the total from its previous year.

Households across the county registered their real trees to be collected, in return for a donation to support the hospice.

More than 120 volunteers from 40 teams stepped out on Friday, January 10 to collect the trees before chipping them at various locations.

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Jayne Sargeant, hospice fundraiser, said: “We have been blown away by the tremendous success of the campaign, which is now in its fourth year.

“It was wonderful to see all our dedicated volunteers come together to make the scheme possible and we are truly grateful to them for their time.

“Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors and volunteers – this year’s total is the most the campaign has ever raised for St Richard’s.

“The funds raised will help make such a big difference to the lives of those we care for – enabling us to be there for free to patients and loved ones when they need us most.”

St Richard’s is set to run the Christmas tree recycling campaign again in 2021. Details on how to register a tree for collection will be available later in the year.

St Richard’s Hospice cares for adults with a serious progressive illness, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment and to their last days. It also supports their loved ones.

Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,400 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.

St Richard’s is an independent charity and relies on donations and gifts in wills for the majority of its income with 22 per cent raised by the NHS.

The hospice is also raising funds for the Build 2020 Appeal and is part way through developing a bigger hospice, enabling more patients and families to be cared for in Worcestershire. The total cost for expanding and redeveloping the existing building in Wildwood Drive, Worcester, is £5.3m.

To get involved with volunteering for the next campaign, please contact Jayne Sargeant, hospice fundraiser, on jsargeant@strichards.org.uk