Traders branch out to help city hospice

Businesses join Christmas tree collection campaign

Business leaders with Peterborough’s Safe Local Trades have rallied round to help the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.

Members of Safe Local Trades (SLT) teamed up with Peterborough-based Nene Valley Tree Services to collect real Christmas trees from homes around the city.

Owners made a donation to the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in return for the trees being collected, recycled and used for mulch.

The volunteers collected more than 500 trees over 10 days and raised more than £7,000 for the hospice.

Eileen Le Voi, director of SLT, said: “I am super proud of our members Lucy and Andy Stone of Nene Valley Tree Services and have been delighted to support them with this campaign and all the volunteer SLT members for once again going the extra mile this year for such a wonderful cause close to the hearts of so many people across the city.”

She added: “Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic this continues to be a very popular initiative for the public and our many traders who gave their time to drive around the city to collect trees in their own vehicles.”

The volunteers included Safe Local Trades member Steve Bedford, of Drylining Services, who said: “After losing Deb, my second wife of 25 years to breast cancer, charities like Sue Ryder are close to my heart.”

Mr Bedford added: “Giving a little time may be easy, but the help it generates is enormous.”

Joely Garner, the hospice’s fundraising manager, said: “Thank you to everyone for their incredible support with our treecycling campaign.”

From left, Eileen Le Voi, Safe Local Trades director, Derren McPartlin of DMC Plastering, Owen McManus of Fen Pest, Dot and Rod Gill of Replacement Fascias, Pete Bird of Pete Bird Property Maintenance, Helen Yeeles of Acer Spades Gardening, Neil Hoskin of Fence Connection and Joely Garner of Sue Ryder.