East Cheshire Hospice is celebrating after scooping a major national award for its trail-blazing Christmas tree collection.
The Hospice fought off fierce competition to win the social value category at the 2025 National Recycling Awards.
Fittingly, Richard Raymond and Pete Chapman, who co-founded the tree collection scheme, were there to receive the award before around 600 guests at the Hilton London Metropole.
The Hospice was one of 10 organisations, mostly corporate groups, short-listed for ‘The Social Value Award – community impact and restoration.’
The East Cheshire Hospice Christmas tree collection reaches Westminster. From left, Tatton MP Esther McVey, Richard Raymond, Pete Chapman, Congleton MP Sarah Russell and Macclesfield MP Tim Roca, all sporting their tree hats.
Pete said: “It was an amazing feeling to win such a massive award against such strong competition.
“We were very proud to accept the award on behalf of everyone who has made the collection such a huge success over the last 26 years.
“The award recognised how the collection has impacted not only our community but many others throughout the country.”
Richard said: “More than 250,000 trees were recycled nationally last January, probably raising enough money to run two medium-sized hospices for a year.
Esther McVey with Richard and Pete at the House of Commons.
“Yet locally the need is still great and the funds urgently needed. The East Cheshire collection keeps our Hospice open for barely two weeks.”
Incredibly, some 175 hospices have implemented schemes based on the East Cheshire Hospice model.
The East Cheshire scheme won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2016, recognising its voluntary and fundraising elements, whereas this accolade honoured the campaign’s recycling strategy.
Preparations are well under way for the next collection on January 10 and 11.
The event is sponsored by AstraZeneca with generous support from many local companies. Registrations are open via www.echtrees.org.uk For queries email echtrees@echospice.org.uk or call 01625 708939.