Somerset hospice raises more than £20,000 in annual Christmas tree collection

  • Watch how they got on over the weekend (video from St Margaret's Hospice).

A Somerset charity which provides care across the county has raised more than £20,000 by collecting used Christmas trees.

St Margaret’s Hospice has sites in Yeovil and Taunton to deliver specialist palliative care, as well as community teams in Minehead, Bridgwater and Glastonbury.

For the last few years, the charity has held a Christmas tree collection to raise money. Residents can make a donation, and then volunteers come and collect the trees. 

This year, the collections took place on January 13-14. 

140 volunteers were out. Credit: St Margaret's Hospice

Hayley Milne, head of communications for the charity, said: “It’s a very exciting weekend for us. We’re collecting a record amount of Christmas trees for us.”

She said 140 volunteers were out, and 1,600 trees were collected - raising more than £20,000. 

Hayley said it’s grown in popularity over the years.

“It’s a great way to support your hospice, it’s a service for yourself, and it’s a really good way to be sustainable.”

The trees are chipped and then used across Somerset. 

The money raised will pay for patients to attend the hospice day centre, and fund community nurses.