A festive scheme by Sheffield Hospitals Charity’s encourages locals to support their community when disposing of their Christmas tree this year.
Following the success of the initiative in selected postcodes last year, which was fully booked, the charity has expanded the campaign across Sheffield.
The charity supports patients, staff, training and ground-breaking research in various Sheffield hospitals and community care facilities, such as the Northern General, the Royal Hallamshire, Western Park Hospital.
Director of Fundraising at Sheffield Hospitals Charity, Max Newton, said that this year’s donations will support people with dementia, and help to fund three main projects: keeping people with dementia out of hospital, providing training for NHS staff and carers, and making hospitals more dementia friendly.
The scheme, in partnership with Just Helping, will also help keep Mayfield’s alpacas warm this winter, as recycled trees are to be used as bedding at Mayfield Alpaca Farm.
He said: “Essentially, you put your Christmas tree up and by the end of December, you want to get rid of it. Maybe it stays in the garden rotting or you have to take it to the tip. We solve all of that – book in with us, make a donation and we’ll come and collect it for you.”
Freya Kingswood, Community and Events Fundraising Manager at Sheffield Hospitals Charity said: “Our collections are a sustainable, hassle-free way to get rid of your real Christmas tree once the decorations come down whilst also supporting patients and staff across Sheffield’s NHS.”
To get involved, residents can book a collection slot online through Sheffield Hospitals Charity’s website for a donation of their choosing.
Local charity The Yorkshire 4×4 Response team will be lending their vehicles to help make this initiative possible, and will receive 15% of monies raised after costs from this scheme.
Max Newton said: “It is super quick and easy, you can do it all on your phone, even on the bus on your way home from work.”
The expanded collection area now covers the following postcodes: S5, S6 1, S6 2, S6 3, S6 4, S7, S8, S10, S11, S35, S36 1, S36 2, S36 8.
