Contour Landscapes are ready to shred your tree!

Farleigh Hospice’s collection and recycling service for real Christmas trees will be returning to doorsteps in mid Essex on 5, 6 and 7 January 2024.

We will be collecting real trees from outside homes in Braintree, Burnham, Chelmsford, Coggeshall, Danbury, Dunmow, Kelvedon, Maldon, Southminster, South Woodham Ferrers, Stock and Witham as well as the surrounding villages and areas. The trees will then be shredded into wood chippings to be used as bio mass fuel or on pathways in local cemeteries and parks.

It is the eighth year that we have been providing this useful service and, in that time, the trees we have collected have contributed over 120 tonnes of wood chippings for recycling, instead of going to waste.

This year, the trees will be shredded by the tree team at Contour Landscapes in Writtle, Chelmsford.

Aaron Brooks, Trevor Wensley, Terry Knapp, Grant Lawrie and Jacob Oram with Ian Juby at the front.

Contour’s Arboricultural Contracts Manager, Jacob Oram, said, “The reason behind the tree team helping Farleigh with the Christmas trees is we all knew a great mechanic and a great man called Nick Mills that worked at our former work place. He was such a kind gentle giant that would do anything to help anyone, to make their day easier. He unfortunately passed away, but Farleigh helped with his end of life care - so our former owner decided to help out with the trees and it has been tradition ever since. We haven't missed a year yet. As we are in a new company now, it is something I am keen to support going forward into the future as it is such an important cause that Farleigh stands for."

A huge thank you to Jacob and his colleagues and to all of our wonderful volunteers and the local companies, organisations and councils who kindly help to make our tree recycling so successful.

Please register your tree before 4pm on Wednesday 3 January through our website where you can also make a donation. The money raised will help Farleigh to continue providing much-needed advice and support to local people affected by life-limiting illnesses and bereavement across mid Essex.