Covid cancels Cransley Hospice charity Christmas tree collection

A charity Christmas tree collection that was to raise much-needed funds for a county hospice has had to be cancelled due to the latest lockdown.

Cransley Hospice volunteers were ready to travel door to door to pick up Christmas trees for recycling - and for a donation.

Following the annoucement of another national lockdown, organisers have decided to cancel the collection to keep volunteers safe.

Rachel Herrick, Cransley Hospice's director of income generation and communications, said: "As a health care charity, we take the health and safety of our staff and volunteers extremely seriously and it is with great disappointment and heavy hearts that we have decided it will not be possible to fulfil the collection of trees this year.

"Whilst the government website states essential volunteer work can continue, we consider this to be those volunteers working directly for individuals requiring essential support that are vulnerable and in extreme need.

"With the ‘Stay at Home,’ message issued by the government we feel that we have a responsibility to our staff, volunteers, and the community to ensure that we comply with these instructions."

Supporters, who booked for their tree to be taken away, made a non-refundable donation to Cransley Hospice's recycling project, supported through a third party provider, ‘Just Helping.’

Ms Herrick said: "Every donation is vital to Cransley Hospice and given the unprecedented circumstances that have led to the collection's cancellation we hope people are willing to allow their voluntary donation to fund the outstanding work the hospice provides in the community.

"We do understand that these are challenging times for many and if anyone would like to discuss their donation we ask that they contact us by emailing [email protected].

"Along with many other charities our ability to fundraise has been severely impacted, the donations made will not only support Cransley Hospice in providing vital care and support to our local community but will also support the four local charities Wicksteed Park, Wellingborough Hatton Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Wellingborough and the Rotary Club of Kettering, who had been chosen as beneficiaries from the tree recycling project.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused our supporters, and hope that they are still able to dispose of their trees in the usual way."

For information on how to recycle your Christmas tree in Kettering click here and for Wellingborough click here.

Christmas trees can be composted at home by breaking it down into smaller pieces and putting it in a home compost bin.