People looking to get rid of their real Christmas trees as they begin to wilt in the aftermath of the holidays can save their carpets from mountains of dropped needles while raising funds for a good cause.
Tree surgeons from Rapid Tree Care Liverpool will be making the rounds throughout January, collecting Christmas trees from people's doorsteps in exchange for £10 donations to the Owen McVeigh Foundation, which supports children living with cancer in Merseyside.
Boss Lee Moogan, 43, said: "Come January, it's normally quiet for the first few weeks, so the last two years I have really dedicated myself to charity during that time. The first year we raised £2,300 for Claire House Children's Hospice, and last year we raised £1,600. This year I want to raise a lot more."
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"We'll be picking up trees all over Merseyside. People can call us, and we'll arrange a time. Tomorrow we're off to Wigan, which is a bit of a journey just to pick up a Christmas tree - but it's all for a worthy cause.
"The Owen McVeigh Foundation is really good for families. We went to the pantomime at the Liverpool Arena last week and they were all there with the parents and children we were sick. They're not a massive charity that gets a lot of funding. They're just a mum and dad trying to do some good in the world, and that's why we're supporting them."
Mark McVeigh, who set up the Owen McVeigh Foundation in memory of his 11-year-old son, who died of leukaemia in December 2015, said: "I thought it was a brilliant and inventive idea and to be supported by them, we're really grateful. Whatever funds are raised, we will turn into supporting children during 2023.
"We can't put a price on what we do. We support children with cancer in Merseyside, so whatever fundings we have go right back into the community. We don't get a massive overhead, so everything we raise goes straight to the kids.
"We provide what we call lifetime experiences, memories. Right now at Christmas we have just sent a young girl from Allerton to New Yark - she wanted to be in New York for the New Year to see the Boardwalk. Last week we had our Christmas part with 100 children and we took them all to the panto afterwards. Coming up in January we have got a Lewis Capaldi concert for the teens. What we do is so diverse."
Once collected, the trees will be transported to Water Lane Farm in Tarbock Green, Prescot, where farm owner Olly Harrison - who also organises the Liverpool Tractor Convoy for Alder Hey Children's Hospital - will shred them into woodchips to be re-used around the farm.
People who would like to arrange a £10 Christmas tree pick-up for the Owen McVeigh Foundation are asked to contact Rapid Tree Care Liverpool on 0790 6467297, or 0151 426 7747.
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