Recycle your Christmas tree and support local older people

This year real Christmas trees can be recycled while raising vital funds to support older people across Shropshire.

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is delighted to announce a new partnership with Just Helping, bringing its popular Just Helping Big Christmas TreeCycle Appeal to parts of Shropshire this festive season.

The scheme offers residents a simple and sustainable way to dispose of their real Christmas trees after the festive period, while making a donation to help support older people across the county.

Residents, businesses and organisations in participating postcodes can register their real Christmas tree for collection. Teams of volunteers from Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin will collect trees from outside properties on 10 and 11 January 2027, before transporting them to Harper Adams University, where the trees will be professionally wood chipped and recycled.

The scheme will operate across the following postcodes: TF1, TF2, TF3, TF4, TF5, TF6, TF7, TF8, TF10, TF12, SY1, SY2, SY3 and SY4.

Clare Davis, Chief Executive of Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, said: “This exciting new venture is about much more than recycling! It’s a brilliant opportunity for us to engage with our local communities, welcome new volunteers and generate much-needed income to help us continue providing essential services that enable older people to be independent, socially connected, supported and informed.”

Continued Clare: “I would also like to thank our local partners in this initiative, Harper Adams University, for being our chipping point and Leaton Forest for providing a beautiful Christmas tree and helping to publicise the recycling scheme.”

Professor Ken Sloan, Vice-Chancellor of Harper Adams University, said: "As Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin's university, we're delighted to lend our support, our facilities, and the expertise of our Grounds Team to help Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin with this year's appeal. Their work makes a real difference to older people in our communities, and our new partnership offers a simple and sustainable way for us to support them, and help cut Christmas waste at the same time."

The partnership between the two charities and the university provides a valuable opportunity to combine environmental sustainability with community fundraising. By choosing to have their Christmas tree collected, residents can avoid the hassle of disposing of their tree themselves while helping Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin continue its work supporting older people.

Nationally, this year's appeal is aiming to raise £2 million, support over 120 charities and recycle 89,000 Christmas trees.

Donations from the recycling scheme will help fund a wide range of vital services, including information and advice, advocacy, befriending, day centres, dementia services, wills and estate planning, and wellbeing activities supporting both physical and mental health.

In Shropshire, disposing of a real Christmas tree through fly-tipping can also result in a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of up to £1,000, making the recycling scheme an easy way for residents to dispose of their tree responsibly while supporting a local charity.

How to recycle your Christmas tree

1. Register your tree for collection between 15 November 2026 and 11.59pm on 6 January 2027 at www.just-helping.org.uk/register-tree
2. Use the same website to make a donation to Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin.
3. Remove any decorations and put your tree outside your property ready for collection. Volunteers from the Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin will collect trees on 10 and 11 January 2027 and transport them to Harper Adams University for recycling.

By taking part, local residents can give their Christmas tree a new lease of life, reduce waste, benefit the local environment and help make a lasting difference to older people in their community.

For further information about the Christmas Tree Recycling Appeal or any of the services provided by Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, please call 01743 233 123 or email fundraising@ageukstw.org.uk