The gift of a £10 note made years ago will lead to a £2m windfall for hospices next month.
That is a conservative estimate of the amount some 160 hospices will raise from their various Christmas tree collections over a single weekend.
The roots of this incredible story stem from the Chapman family whose idea and dedication has benefitted East Cheshire Hospice over the last 25 years.
In 1998, Andy Chapman, then 14, was given a tenner along with fellow choristers at Prestbury Church. Their mission was to raise funds for a new church organ.
Co-founders Pete Chapman (left) and Richard Raymond at the collection last January.
Dad Pete said: “It was up to the choir what to do with the money – use it, lose it but try to do something wise with it, as in the Bible’s Parable of the Talents.
“My wife Heather had a brainwave. She suggested taking our Christmas tree and those of our neighbours to the tip on our big garden trailer.
“It would save mess in the car, the £10 could pay for diesel and we’d see what was raised.
Pete Chapman’s sons James (left) and Chris collecting trees with Caitlin Howarth in 2022.
“It was Heather’s idea – I was just the poor husband who had to implement it! We put leaflets through doors and the phone started ringing after Christmas.
“We also decided to support another charity, raising £370 for both the church fund and the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust. My employers Barclays match-funded donations.
“A Wallace and Gromit notebook contained random addresses and we drove round Bollington and Prestbury with our four sons strapped in the back of the car.
“The idea took off. People couldn’t believe how much we raised and I thought ‘we’re onto something here.’
“The next year Richard Raymond pitched up with a company truck and we advertised it more widely, collecting more trees.
“Chorister John Nichol knew the area like the back of his hand and helped with routing and mapping.
“John suggested supporting the Hospice on an ongoing basis. His mother had been a patient and the team were right behind him.
“We had lots of enthusiastic support and since then it’s grown every year. Other hospices started to catch on and we’ve encouraged them.
“I can’t believe it’s been 25 years since the hospice became the sole beneficiary. It’s flown. I can’t believe where we’ve come from and got to.
“It’s beyond our wildest dreams. It’s amazing to think that well over £2m will be collected in one weekend across the country, involving more than 2,000 volunteers.”
Back to all newsThank you so much for choosing to support East Cheshire Hospice. You may never know how much your gift means, but we know that it will make the world of difference to our patients and their families.
