Wolverhampton Residents Encouraged to Recycle Christmas Trees for Charity

Residents of Wolverhampton are being encouraged to recycle their Christmas trees to benefit a charitable cause. For the last five years, Compton Care’s Treecycling initiative has generated funds for its palliative care and bereavement support services. Sally Woods, a community and events fundraiser, reported that 500 trees were collected in the previous year, generating £8,000 for the organization. These trees are subsequently shredded and converted into biofuel, with some material also utilized as compost by farmers in the area. The City of Wolverhampton Council, which has discontinued its own tree recycling program, is offering logistical assistance and volunteers for this year’s scheme, marking its first involvement. Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal stated: “Compton cared for a family member in his final days and I can’t thank them enough for everything they did.” To provide its service, the charity collaborates with a national tree collection organization, which is managed by JustHelping. Ms Woods further commented: “You’ll be easily disposing of your tree in an environmentally-friendly way and your donation will help us to care for local people and their families.” Individuals wishing to have their real trees collected must register in advance through JustHelping, with bookings required by 9 January. Participants registering for the service are requested to remove all decorations, take trees out of any pots or bases, and position them outside by 08:00 GMT on 11 January. Collections of trees will occur on the same day or the day after. For those who do not meet the registration deadline, trees can be brought to a designated drop-off location at Compton Hall on either 11 or 12 January, between the hours of 10:00 and 14:00. Volunteers representing C&W Commercial, Wolverhampton Tree Services, and the council will gather trees from residents residing in the WV, DY3, WS2, 3, 6, and 10 postcode areas. It is required that the tree be visible from the road and can only be collected from driveways or pavements. While there is no mandatory charge, the charity proposes a minimum donation of £15. Volunteers conducting collections on the scheduled day are not authorized to receive monetary payments; however, individuals dropping off trees at Compton Hall have the option to pay using cash or card. It is possible to have multiple trees collected, provided they were registered during the booking process. For updates, follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.