A tree-mendous collection service is returning, with residents urged to recycle their Christmas trees for a cause that brings vital comfort to some of the region’s most vulnerable families.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices has announced the return of its hugely popular tree collection scheme, offering to pick up and recycle real Christmas trees in exchange for a donation. Every penny raised will help babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, as well as bereaved families who rely on the charity’s specialist care.

The initiative is run in partnership with JustHelping, a UK organisation that empowers communities to raise money for local causes. Shooting Star will receive 90 per cent of the funds raised, with the remaining 10 per cent supporting other charities in the surrounding area.

Trees will be recycled into environmentally friendly compost by Merrist Wood College for the Guildford-based collection. For the Hampton-based collection, trees will be chipped sustainably by our other partner, The Tree Agency. Recycling real Christmas trees can reduce their carbon footprint by up to 80 per cent, and last year’s 775-tree haul prevented more than 12,500kg of CO₂ emissions.

Collections will take place from Monday 12 to Tuesday 12, January 2026, with volunteer ‘elves’ from businesses including SKY, Kier Highways, Ellis Wines, Balfour Beatty, Hill Group, Burbeck Interiors, Galliford Try and Drainline. Residents must register their tree before midnight on Wednesday, January 7 2026.

The initiative is sponsored for the second year by Ridge, whose spokesperson said: “We’re humbled by the incredible work that Shooting Star do to bring light and comfort to families in their darkest hours, and we’re proud to support their Christmas tree collection for a second-year running.”

Postcodes covered: GU1, GU2, GU3, GU4, GU5, GU6, GU7, GU8, GU12, GU21, GU22, GU23, GU24, KT14 and KT16.