Image shows Tom Gardiner (centre front) with SSEN’s volunteers from the tree-cutting team
A six-strong team of volunteers from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) have helped Dorothy House Hospice Care to raise a record-breaking amount of donations for its annual Christmas Tree Collection fundraiser.
Colleagues from SSEN’s tree-cutting team have been assisting the charity with their festive fundraiser for the past seven years, by providing their time along with the vehicles and equipment needed to collect and chip the trees. This year, working with other volunteers from Wiltshire and Bath, around 5,200 trees were collected over a three day period from local residents across 16 postcodes and covering 700 square miles, resulting in over £75,000 being raised for the local cause.
The chips from the recycled trees are returned to the local community for use in green spaces, and community areas, such as the hospice grounds in Bradford on Avon and the Bruce Monroe Fireflies light installation. This year, students from the nearby Lackham Agriculture College also joined in to learn how to chip the trees with a share of the chippings being used around the college campus.
Tom Gardiner from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said:
“My colleagues and I have used our SSEN volunteering days to assist Dorothy House Hospice Care over the last seven years; providing labour and specialised equipment to aid their annual tree-cycling scheme.
“As well as encouraging local homes and businesses to recycle their trees in a sustainable way, the charity is raising tens of thousands of pounds and we’re delighted to be able to help boost funds for such an incredible local cause.
“SSEN itself is an early adopter in sustainability and low carbon technologies, so for the second year running we have also used low emission vehicles to make this scheme as environmentally friendly as possible.”
Clare Way, Community Fundraiser for Dorothy House Hospice Care added:
“This was our seventh Christmas tree collection with a record amount of trees signed up to be collected. We are so pleased to have raised such a huge amount which will go such a long way towards providing care and support in our local community. I’d just like to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers and donors for their generous support.” w
While 90% of the money raised, after costs, will go to Dorothy House, 5% of funds raised will go to other local charities, voted for by staff at Dorothy House.
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