From music to mulching … father and son Tony and Doug Skelton do not mind how they raise funds for East Cheshire Hospice.
Weeks after organising a night of musical entertainment, the pair will join dozens of other volunteers at the next Christmas Tree Collection on the weekend of January 13/14.
Tony will drive one of his company vans, while Doug fetches trees from driveways of supporters donating to the Hospice.
From left, volunteer Mike Brighouse with Doug and Tony Skelton.
It is not too late to register. Visit www.echtrees.org.uk to get your tree collected. The deadline is noon on Wednesday, January 10.
Tony and Doug have already raised £8,706 for the Hospice from The Cinema Show, an 80s audio and visual show which drew a full house to MADS Theatre in October.
It was organised by Doug, who handles digital marketing at PPE firm Intersafety where Tony is Managing Director.
Last year was their first experience of the tree collection which has raised a staggering £1.75m for the Hospice since it began 24 years ago.
Doug said: “As rookies last January we didn’t know what to expect. We decided to give it a go and threw ourselves in at the deep end.
“It was utterly exhausting, but a good laugh and great fun. Tony does the driving and I lug trees, though he claims jokingly that he’s the only one who does a bit of everything.
“We all met up in the pub afterwards to celebrate our achievements and soon forgot about any aching limbs.”
Ansa depot recyclers playing their part in the tree collection scheme a year ago.
The Skeltons were joined by fellow volunteer Mike Brighouse and Hospice Director Sarah Dale BEM on their two days of travels.
Trees were mulched at Swift Tree Services at Adlington Industrial Estate where Intersafety is also located. They will also be recycled at the Ansa plant at West Park this year as usual.
The scheme, sponsored by AstraZeneca, raised £150,000 last year. Sponsorship means that all proceeds go towards patient care.
Co-founders Richard Raymond and Pete Chapman also supported The Cinema Show which featured nostalgic musical interpretations of Live Aid, MTV, mobile phones and 80s fashion.
Doug said: “We had a phenomenal night and the response from sponsors was amazing. It was another example of local companies and supporters coming together in aid of the Hospice.”
Post codes covered on the tree collection are CW12, SK9, SK10, SK11, SK12 and WA16.