Tree Founders Honoured
The founders of the East Cheshire Hospice Christmas tree collection scheme have been awarded a civic honour for their outstanding work. Richard Raymond and Pete Chapman received a Lifetime Achievement Civic Award from outgoing Macclesfield Mayor Cllr Sandy Livingstone. The honour recognises their efforts co-ordinating one of the most successful fundraising schemes in the country. […]
A Christmas Tree reunion
Retired science teacher Mike Thompson has a unique role in the history of the East Cheshire Hospice tree collection. Back in 1998, he suggested giving fellow choristers at St Peter’s Church in Prestbury a £10 note to raise funds for a new organ. The idea came from a sermon by Revd David Ashworth about the […]
A magical £2m for East Cheshire Hospice from collecting Christmas trees
We’ve made it! Volunteers are celebrating raising a magical £2m for East Cheshire Hospice from collecting Christmas trees. Appropriately, the milestone was reached during the 25th year of the scheme when around 7,200 trees were collected, raising more than £150,000. Marshals (from left) Katherine Beswick, Annabel Hipkins, James Bunker, Karen McLoughlin, Howard Stringer and Richard […]
Silver Jubilee for our Christmas Tree Collection!
Organisers of the East Cheshire Hospice Christmas tree collection plan to celebrate its silver jubilee in style. The 25th anniversary of the scheme falls coincidentally in 2025 with trees collected on the weekend of January 11 and 12. The scheme has been an extraordinary success, raising almost £2m for the Hospice. Registrations are open at […]
Pete Chapman’s Christmas Tree Collection milestone
Volunteer Pete Chapman reached a special milestone with the latest tree collection. It marked 25 years since Pete and wife Heather first picked up a discarded Christmas tree, starting an incredible fundraising journey. Their dedication was recognised with a presentation by Hospice Chief Executive Karyn Johnston after the latest collection. Pete’s family began collecting trees […]
Christmas Tree Collection 2023 success!
Wind and rain did not deter volunteers who turned the East Cheshire Hospice tree collection into another major triumph. More than 6,000 trees were collected last weekend in what is believed to be the largest scheme of its kind in the world. Around £150,000 was raised as more than 250 volunteers staged a military-style operation […]
Volunteers at Christmas Tree Collection
Volunteers Rob and Marion BoSmith have a unique claim to fame in the long history of collecting trees in aid of East Cheshire Hospice. The Bollington couple picked up a symbolic tree that saw the fundraising scheme smash through the £1m barrier in 2019. They only discovered their historic role in the tree collection scheme […]
Christmas Tree Collection 2022 success!
Volunteers were out in force as the Christmas tree collection in aid of East Cheshire Hospice returned in style. Organisers had to scale back last year’s delayed scheme because of lockdown and Covid safety concerns were again the main focus this time. Early arrivals at the Hospice preparing for the Christmas tree collection. However, the […]
Nick Jenkins Christmas Tree Collection Volunteer
Bell ringer Nick Jenkins has been tuning up for the next Christmas tree collection in aid of East Cheshire Hospice. Weeks ago he was out and about in Bollington where he lives putting up banners and distributing leaflets. Nick is an area organiser for the hugely successful collection scheme, now into its 22nd year. From […]
