Volunteers collecting Christmas trees for charity

Volunteers will be collecting trees until Sunday

Volunteers are collecting thousands of Christmas trees to raise money for a hospice.

The team from Dorothy House Hospice offers the collection service across Somerset and Wiltshire and will be collecting trees from doorsteps until Sunday.

Since the service was launched eight years ago, they have raised £370,000 for the hospice, raising more than £118,000 so far this year.

Dan Varley, from the hospice's fundraising team, said: "We do it as a way to support the community, but also to raise funds for the hospice which is so, so vital for us."

This year the team has raised more than £118,000 for the hospice

The annual collection runs in partnership with the national charity Just Helping.

Residents living across 18 postcodes covering Bath and Swindon can sign up for their tree to be collected in return for a donation to Dorothy House.

Many of the trees collected are shredded and chipped, with the waste recycled and used in local agricultural spaces and parks.

Mr Varley said the team "really enjoys" collecting the trees.

"It's grown and more and more people have gotten involved," he said.

"One of the biggest things about the collection is that everybody that takes part and offers their time and energy volunteers.

"They do a fantastic job."