Recycle your Christmas Tree and support Rowcroft Hospice

Rowcroft Hospice is excited to announce an eco-friendly way of supporting local patients with life-limiting illnesses this Christmas time. Rowcroft’s Christmas Tree Collection Service invites South Devon residents in specific postcodes to recycle their Christmas trees by having them collected from their homes in return for a small donation to the hospice.

Funds raised will be used to care for patients requiring specialist end-of-life care across South Devon. To be part of this heart-warming initiative, you can recycle your tree by booking it for collection at rowcrofthospice.org.uk/christmas-tree with a suggested donation of £10 per tree. Your tree will then be collected between 2-11 January 2024.

“There couldn’t be a better way of supporting local people in need this festive season,” said Lisa Whitaker, Rowcroft’s Corporate Fundraiser.

“Not only does the Christmas Tree Collection Service support your local hospice in caring for patients who are facing the toughest of times this Christmas, it also offers a wonderful way to minimise waste and protect our environment.

“Through this fantastic scheme, we’re delighted to be partnering with SWISCo and Devon Tree Services to raise much-needed funds for Rowcroft, and we’re thrilled that we can do this in an environmentally sustainable way.”

SWISCo will collect Christmas trees within the Torbay boundary area (postcodes TQ1 -TQ5) and donate the collection fee to Rowcroft; and Rowcroft’s volunteers will collect trees from the wider South Devon community in Totnes (TQ9), Newton Abbot (TQ12 only) and

Teignmouth (TQ14). SWISCo will chip the trees from Torbay and use as mulch on the parks and landscapes they manage in Torbay; and Devon Tree Services will chip the other trees and sell as mulch to raise additional funds for the hospice."We are delighted to be helping Rowcroft once again,” said Cathy French, Communications Manager for SWISCo, “Offering a home-collection service while raising funds for such a great charity is a win-win for all concerned!”

The funds raised from this initiative will directly sustain the vital care services that Rowcroft provides. For example:

A donation of £10 could provide a delicious Christmas dinner for two patients in Rowcroft's Inpatient Unit
A donation of £14 could pay for the cost of oils and creams used by their Complementary Therapists for a week, helping our patients to relax and find comfort during difficult times
A donation of £27 could pay for an hour of care for a patient with complex needs in Rowcroft’s specialist Inpatient Unit.

Registrations for the Christmas Tree Recycling Service close at 11.59pm on Wednesday 1 January 2025. Rowcroft kindly requests that all tree decorations are removed prior to collection.

As a charity, each year Rowcroft provides free end-of-life care and support to approximately 2500 adults with life-limiting illnesses and those closest to them. This care is predominantly funded through the generous donations of the local community and makes a tangible difference during some of life's toughest moments.

While Rowcroft is playing a key role in delivering specialist end-of-life care across South Devon, the charity recognises the harsh reality that each year too many people are unable to access the essential end-of-life care they need due to the increasing needs of an ageing population coupled with a critical gap in resources and funding. With escalating demand putting pressure on the hospice’s services, by 2026 Rowcroft aims to raise the funds to help care for an additional 260 patients every year. This will be a key milestone towards the hospice’s longer-term goal of supporting an annual total of 3,000 patients and their loved ones by 2030.

To find out more about Rowcroft’s Christmas Tree Collection Service, please go to rowcrofthospice.org.uk/christmas-tree