How to tree-cycle this Christmas

Community charity Just Helping is urging households across the UK to participate in its 2025 Big Christmas Tree-Cycle appeal.

This year’s initiative aims to raise £1.5 million by recycling real Christmas trees, with funds directed to over 140 charities that provide end-of-life care, support individuals with life-limiting illnesses, and alleviate poverty.

Last Christmas, the appeal recycled more than 65,500 trees, preventing one million kilograms of CO2 emissions and raising £1.2 million for local charities and hospices.

This year, Just Helping hopes to surpass these achievements as the cost-of-living crisis increases the demand for charitable services.

Over 22,000 participants have already registered, raising over £500,000 in donations ahead of January’s collection drive.

Nick Stammers, CEO of Just Helping, highlighted the initiative's dual impact: “The beauty of the Big Christmas Tree-Cycle is that it brings together volunteers and charitable organisations to make a real difference to not only communities but the environment too. Last year we were delighted to raise £1.2 million, and this year we are stretching our target to £1.5 million. We hope the British public will register their Christmas trees, donate, and help support hundreds of local charities performing vital work.”

The process is simple: households register their tree online, make a donation, and volunteers collect the trees in early January.

The recycled trees are chipped at designated locations, with the wood repurposed for community projects like sports field ground cover and walking paths.

Dorothy House Hospice, a charity within the Just Helping network, praised the appeal’s impact. “Last year we recycled over 5,000 trees through this initiative, and it made such a difference to so many people, including our residents. We’re excited to see how many trees we can collect in 2025,” a spokesperson said.

With over 4,000 volunteers involved in previous campaigns, the 2025 appeal is expected to be a nationwide effort to promote environmental sustainability and support local communities.

To register your tree for collection and donate, click here.