Children’s Hospice puts recycled trees at the top of its wish list this festive season

Bluebell Wood has opened registration for its Christmas tree recycling scheme this week (3 November), with Doncaster residents urged to get involved.

The scheme helps generate vital income to support the end-of-life care the hospice delivers for children and young people across the region and has raised more than £70,000 in donations over the last two years.

Last year, the charity collected 1,950 trees from across South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire, with just under a quarter (22.5 percent) of the trees recycled coming from Doncaster households.

The annual collection, which is now in its sixth year, is sponsored by glass container manufacturer Beatson Clark and storage solutions company, Magnavale, and offers a reliable and environmentally friendly way of disposing of your Christmas tree, helping you declutter at the end of the festivities.

E.ON is the charity’s sustainability partner, ensuring 100% of the trees collected are recycled or repurposed, receiving many of the trees to help generate electricity for homes and businesses across the Sheffield City Region.

Bluebell Wood hopes to beat this total in 2026, with sign-ups and donations made via the recycling programme topping the hospices’ wishlist for the weeks and months ahead.

Heidi Hawkins, chief executive of Bluebell Wood, said: “We’re often asked what Bluebell Wood needs most at Christmas and, while many people naturally think of gifts and presents, what makes the biggest difference to the children and families who rely on us is the funding that enables us to provide our specialist care and support.

“That’s why we’d love more people across the region to sign up to our Christmas tree recycling programme this year. It may seem like a bit of festive fun, but in reality, it’s a vital part of our annual fundraising efforts and helps raise the monies needed to deliver specialist end-of-life care and support for children and young people.

“By registering your tree for collection and gifting us a small donation, you’ll be making a meaningful contribution to local families at a time when they need it most. It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways people can support Bluebell Wood, helping us to continue providing services that no other organisation in our area can offer.”

The scheme is also a great way for households to dispose of their trees in an environmentally friendly way, with the charity’s sustainability partner E.ON ensuring 100% of the trees collected are recycled or repurposed, with many of the trees being used to help generate electricity for homes and businesses across the Sheffield City Region.

Charlotte Pike, marketing manager at Beatson Clark: “We’re delighted to support Bluebell Wood’s Campaign for the sixth year. Bluebell Wood provides vital support to local families, while the campaign’s focus on recycling also closely reflects our own values as a glass manufacturer. It’s a great initiative that brings together two things that matter hugely to us: our local community and sustainability.”

Amanda Cogan, chief operating officer, at Magnavale: “We are extremely proud to be sponsoring Bluebell Wood’s Christmas Tree Recycling campaign this year. It’s a brilliantly simple idea: people get their tree collected hassle-free, it’s disposed of responsibly, and every donation goes towards supporting children and families who rely on Bluebell Wood’s care. We would of course encourage everyone in the area to book their collection and help make a real difference this January.”

Jess Dhariwal, plant manager at E.ON’s Blackburn Meadows renewable energy plant, said: “Christmas tree recycling is a fantastic example of how something as simple as recycling your tree can make a real difference. At Blackburn Meadows, we turn waste wood into renewable electricity, giving material that would otherwise be discarded a valuable second life. It's great to see the local community getting behind this campaign year after year, and we're proud to support it alongside A&A Recycling, whose continued involvement helps make it possible. It's a brilliant example of local organisations working together to turn waste into something positive.”

It currently costs almost £18,000 a day to keep Blubell Wood Hospice running. The charity is fortunate to receive 17 percent government funding, but the remaining 83 percent comes from charity supporters and fundraising activity such as the Christmas trees recycling scheme.

Other ways people can support the hospice’s work this festive season include shopping through easyFundraising; making a Christmas donation or signing up to donate regularly; organising or taking part in a fundraiser; volunteering or getting your organisation involved with the charity.

There is a suggested donation of £15 per collection and households have until midnight on 6 January 2027 to register, with collections taking place between 11 – 22 January, 2027

To register your tree for collection, visit: www.bluebellwood.org