A SOMERSET Christmas tree farm has raised £1,828 for Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) during the festivities and into January this year.

The money was donated by customers at Langford Lakes Christmas Tree Farm and visitors to Taunton Train Station in the yuletide as well as through Christmas tree collections in January.

Nick Hendy from Langford Lakes Christmas Tree Farm, which is based at Middle Hill Farm in Langford Budville, said: “We’re thrilled that, with the help of our customers, we managed to collect £1,828 for CHSW last year and at the start 2022. This is a fantastic amount of money that will go far in helping the charity with the work it does.

“Visitors to our Christmas tree farm made donations to the organisation when they visited Father Christmas here.

“We also hosted some special late-night openings with musical entertainment and the wonderful team from the Irie7 mobile coffee shop from Taunton joined us selling paninis, hot drinks, even a cream tea for two, waffles and mince pies. We had buckets and collection tins on site too.

“We donated a Christmas tree to Taunton Train Station in November to help travellers get into the festive spirit and to encourage them to donate to the charity too, so a big ‘thank you’ also goes to all the travellers out there who donated as this went towards our final total for the charity.”

Langford Lakes was also one of the businesses in the south west that supported CHSW’s and St Margaret’s Hospice’s Christmas tree collection and recycling scheme. The charities received a donation for every tree collected CHSW is currently the only provider of specialist hospice care for children in the region. It offers much-needed support for youngsters with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition and their families at its three hospices: Charlton Farm in North Somerset, Little Bridge House in North Devon, and Little Harbour in Cornwall.

Mary Gray, Community Fundraiser for Children’s Hospice South West, said: “We’d like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Langford Lakes Christmas Tree Farm and all of its wonderful customers as well as all of the generous people who travelled through Taunton Train Station and took time out to make a donation.

“The money will go towards the work that we do, and it really means a great deal to the children and their families.”

Langford Lakes Christmas Tree Farm, which is well-known for its homegrown, freshly cut Christmas trees, is a family-run 40-acre farm that is located close to the nature reserve Langford Heathfield, a mile outside of Langford Budville in Somerset.

The farm is owned and run by Reg and his wife Ann and their two sons and daughters-in-law, Shaun, Trudy, Nick and Clare. The family has been growing and selling Christmas trees for more than 20 years.

For further details about Langford Lakes Christmas Tree Farm, which is based at Middle Hill Farm in Langford Budville near Wellington, call 01823 400476 or visit www.langfordlakes.co.uk.