Staffs village to host UK’s first Christmas tree throwing contest

When it comes to raising money for charities, groups around the country are always coming up with inventive, exciting and fun new ways to get people involved and make as much as they can for their own particular good cause.

Few efforts this winter are likely to be as inventive as that being utilised in one Staffordshire village, however, where locals are hoping to raise money for the Help for Heroes military charity. The activity? Throwing Christmas trees, naturally. 

The village of Keele will play host to what is believed to be the UK's first ever Christmas tree throwing contest on November 29th and 30th, ITV reports, with funds being raised on these days for Help for Heroes. 

This rather unique sounding competition is being hosted by the owner of Keele Christmas Tree Farm, young entrepreneur Charlie Reynolds, who has already worked out the carefully mapped course across which contestants will toss their trees. 

Each person who enters will be given a 6ft tree weighing about 10kg, with the winner being announced at the end of the weekend. 

Mr Reynolds told ITV: "I sold my first Christmas tree at the age of 10, so the whole business is very much part of my life and I'm constantly trying to think of ways to get people to consider real over artificial trees.

"In Germany they've been running a competition just after the main festive celebrations for about eight years, and always ask people to turn up with their old trees."

In other military charity news, a group of quilters from the London borough of Sutton have been making money for charity through their joint venture, a double duvet that was made as a collaborative effort to commemorate Armistice Day this year. 

The Ely Standard reports the duvet, called Field of Poppies Remembrance Quilt, was raffled and manafed to raise an impressive £600, which will be split between two military charities – Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion. 

Sally White, group member, said: “We have been at various locations in the village over the last few months selling raffle tickets for the quilt to raise funds for Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion.

“We are delighted to announce that the winner of the raffle for the quilt, drawn appropriately on Armistice Day, was Pat Simpson of Link Lane, Sutton."

Elsewhere, the Dorset Echo reports that pupils in The Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy have started off a new fundraising venture with the first of a number of dedicated house weeks proving to be a success in raising money for Help for Heroes. 

The school's Wren house was the first to have a week celebrating it, and it managed to raise money through a number of activities, which included cake sales, raffles and a number of exciting days out for pupils. 

Head of Wren House at the school, Angus Dawson said: “Wren House Week 2014 has been a brilliant success, showing that students of all ages can come together to learn, have fun and raise money for charity.”

He added that some of the best activities throughout the week had seen army cadets visit the school, bringing a climbing tower with them, as well as a visit to Laser Quest and a Scalextric competition.