A hospice is hoping for tree-mendous success when its annual Christmas tree recycling event returns.

St Helena Hospice is teaming up with Colchester Council to see festive spruces recycled in return for a donation.

Volunteers will be out in force on Saturday, January 12 to collect the real trees following the end of the Christmas season.

Lizzie Deed, corporate fundraiser at St Helena, said: “The Christmas Tree-cycle is an easy way to dispose of your tree once it’s fulfilled its festive duties and you’ll be providing St Helena with much needed funds at the same time.

“Every penny will go towards helping local people face incurable illness and bereavement and just £10 could pay for home cooked meals for a day for someone staying in the hospice this winter.”

Martin Goss, waste boss at Colchester Council, said: “We are really pleased to once again be supporting St Helena Hospice and their fundraising efforts by recycling the Christmas trees they collect.

“All the trees that are collected are recycled with our garden waste, and so kept out of landfill sites, which is fantastic.

“I would encourage residents to sign-up to for Tree-cycle which supports a local charity and helps the environment.”

Last year, St Helena collected more than 1,500 trees raising £17,908. This year the Tree and Lawn Company will be helping with the fundraising drive.

People can now sign up to have their tree recycled in the New Year. Registration closes on January 9.

The average donation last year was more than £9.

Trees will be collected from the CO1 to CO9 postcodes and also from CO11 postcodes.

On January 12 the trees should be left outside the registered address and will be collected on the day.

To register visit sthelena.org.uk/treecollect19

To volunteer to help on the day contact Lizzie Deed on 01206 931468 or email ldeed@sthelena.org.uk.