As we approach Christmas, we have rounded up key information about changes and close downs of council and partner services over the period.
Waste and Recycling
Revised rubbish and recycling collections between Christmas Day and Saturday 11 January
A printed copy of the revised recycling and rubbish collections calendar (below) was distributed to all homes in the borough earlier this month as part of the Recycling News leaflet. This was produced in collaboration with the South London Waste Partership and Veolia includes a guide to what to recycle in which container.
You can also view and download a calendar of future scheduled collections for their property. Click here for collection days for rubbish, recycling and garden waste | Merton Council.
Revised Collection Schedule:
| Usual collection day | Revised collection day | Change |
| Wednesday 25 December 2024 | Friday 27 December 2024 | 2 days later |
| Thursday 26 December 2024 | Saturday 28 December 2024 | 2 days later |
| Friday 27 December 2024 | Monday 30 December 2024 | 3 days later |
| Monday 30 December 2024 | Tuesday 31 December 2024 | 1 day later |
| Tuesday 31 December 2024 | Thursday 2 January 2025 | 2 days later |
| Wednesday 1 January 2025 | Friday 3 January 2025 | 2 days later |
| Thursday 2 January 2025 | Saturday 4 January 2025 | 2 days later |
| Friday 3 January 2025 | Monday 6 January 2025 | 3 days later |
| Monday 6 January 2025 | Tuesday 7 January 2025 | 1 day later |
| Tuesday 7 January 2025 | Wednesday 8 January 2025 | 1 day later |
| Wednesday 8 January 2025 | Thursday 9 January 2025 | 1 day later |
| Thursday 9 January 2025 | Friday 10 January 2025 | 1 day later |
| Friday 10 January 2025 | Saturday 11 January 2025 | 1 day later |
Collections will return to the normal schedule starting Monday, 13 January 2024.
Note: Collection days will be different from those shown above if you receive time-banded collections. Please see here for this information.
Free Kerbside Christmas Tree Collection Service – January 2025.
Residents should put their tree out by 6am on Monday, 6 January 2025, for a free kerbside collection service. The tree will be collected as soon as possible.
- To ensure successful recycling, all decorations should be removed and the tree taken out of its pot.
- The tree should be placed close to the front boundary of the property, visible to collection crews but not blocking the pavement. For flats with shared bins, trees should be placed outside the bin store without blocking access.
Note: For anyone who subscribes to a garden waste collection service, there is an option to cut up their Christmas tree and place it in the garden waste bin.
Find out how to dispose of your Christmas tree | Merton Council
Garth Road Household Reuse and Recycling Centre – Christmas Opening Hours
Please note that visits need to be booked in advance.
For Cars, Bicycles, and Pedestrians:
Open 8 am to 4 pm seven days a week, including bank holidays, except for the following:
- Christmas Eve: 8 am to midday
- Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day: Closed
For Vans and Trailers:
Open Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 1.30 pm, Saturdays 9 am to midday, and Sundays closed.
- Christmas Eve: 8 am to midday
- Bank holidays, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day: Closed
Please note that Bulky waste collections will not take place from 25 December 2024 to 10 January 2025.
Find out more about Garth Road Household Reuse and Recycling Centre, Morden | Merton Council
Gritting & Leafing
We monitor cold weather reports and will post on social media when our gritters are scheduled to go out. Automatic messaging goes out on Merton’s JCDecaux digital roadside boards when temperatures go below freezing.
Our leafing programme ends the week commencing Wednesday 1 January.
Parks and green spaces
Idverde, our maintenance and horticultural contractors, will cover essential and high-priority services in parks and open spaces, including emptying litter bins and playground checks.
Cost of living
Food support
Merton’s food support services are operating seasonal opening hours, see below. You can find their regular opening hours and locations here: Food banks timetable | Merton Council.
Sustainable Merton’s Community Fridge at Morden Baptist Church is normally open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays:
| Monday 23 December | Open 16.30 – 17.30 |
| Tuesday 24 December | Closed |
| Wednesday 25 December | Closed |
| Thursday 26 December | Closed |
| Friday 27 December | Closed |
| Saturday 28 December | Closed |
| Sunday 29 December | Closed |
| Monday 30 December | Open 16.30 – 17.30 |
| Tuesday 31 December | Closed |
| Wednesday 01 January 2024 | Closed |
| Thursday 02 January | Open 13.30 – 14.30 |
| Friday 03 January | Closed – normal hours resume |
Wimbledon Foodbank operates in various locations, see their regular opening times here: Food banks timetable | Merton Council)
Wimbledon Foodbank centres will be closed on the days they are regularly closed (see Foodbank timetable linked). Listed below are the seasonal opening hours for each venue:
| Elim Church Mitcham | Closed on Saturdays 28 December and 4 January. Reopens on Saturday 11 January. |
| Merton Grow Baby Hub | Closed on Tuesday 24, Thursday 26 and Tuesday 31 December. Reopens on Thursday 2 January |
| Morden Baptist Church | Closed on Wednesdays 25 December and 1 January. Reopens Wednesday 8 January |
| Pollards Hill Baptist Church: | Closed on Wednesdays 25 December and 1 January. Open on Friday 27 December and Friday 3 January. |
| Elim Church Wimbledon | Closed on Monday 23, Tuesday 24, Thursday 26, Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December. Reopens Thursday 2 January. |
The warehouse at Elim Pentecostal Church will not be open for deliveries on Monday 23, Tuesday 24, Thursday 26 December, Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December. Reopens Thursday 2 January.
Community Hub helpline – 020 8066 4086
The Community Hub contact number for cost-of-living advice and support has the following opening hours is regularly open from Monday – Friday from 10am – 4pm. The Christmas hours are:
| Saturday 21 December | Closed |
| Sunday 22 December | Closed |
| Monday 23 December | Open 10.00 – 16.00 |
| Tuesday 24 December | Open 10.00 – 16.00 |
| Wednesday 25 December | Closed |
| Thursday 26 December | Closed |
| Friday 27 December | Open 10.00 – 16.00 |
| Saturday 28 December | Closed |
| Sunday 29 December | Closed |
| Monday 30 January 2024 | Open 10.00 – 16.00 |
| Tuesday 31 January | Open 10.00 – 16.00 |
| Wednesday 1 January | Closed |
| Thursday 2 January | Open – Normal hours resume |
Warm Spaces
We operate ‘Warm Spaces’ at Merton’s libraries and community spaces, providing a warm welcome to anyone who needs a place to spend time out of the cold.
Find more information about Warm Spaces here: Warm Spaces
Please refer to Merton Link and Merton Libraries opening times below for open Warm Spaces.
Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth cost-of-living service
Citizens Advice Merton & Lambeth operate a cost-of-living debt, benefits and money advice service in Merton’s libraries and Wide Way Medical Centre.
Find more information here: Merton Cost of Living — Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth
The service’s seasonal hours are as follows:
| Saturday 21 December | Closed |
| Sunday 22 December | Closed |
| Monday 23 December | Open – location and hours at link above |
| Tuesday 24 December | Open – appointments at CAML Mitcham office |
| Wednesday 25 December | Closed |
| Thursday 26 December | Closed |
| Friday 27 December | Closed |
| Saturday 28 December | Closed |
| Sunday 29 December | Closed |
| Monday 30 December | Closed |
| Tuesday 31 December | Closed |
| Wednesday 1 January | Closed |
| Thursday 2 January | Open – normal hours resume |
Council services
Merton Link is Merton Council’s reception service at the Civic Centre in Morden. Here are the opening hours:
| Saturday 21 December | Closed |
| Sunday 22 December | Closed |
| Monday 23 December | Open 09.00 – 17.00 |
| Tuesday 24 December | Open 09.00 – 17.00 |
| Wednesday 25 December | Closed |
| Thursday 26 December | Closed |
| Friday 27 December | Open 09.00 – 17.00 |
| Saturday 28 December | Closed |
| Sunday 29 December | Closed |
| Monday 30 December | Open 09.00 – 17.00 |
| Tuesday 31 December | Open 09.00 – 17.00 |
| Wednesday 1 January | Closed |
| Thursday 2 January | Open – normal hours resume |
Merton Libraries and Heritage Centre:
| Monday 23 December | Normal opening hours |
| Tuesday 24 December | Libraries close at 5pm |
| Wednesday 25 December | Closed |
| Thursday 26 December | Closed |
| Friday 27 December | Normal opening hours |
| Saturday 28 December | Normal opening hours |
| Sunday 29 December | Closed |
| Monday 30 December | Normal opening hours |
| Tuesday 31 December | Libraries close at 5pm |
| Wednesday 1 January | Closed |
| Thursday 2 January | Normal opening hours resume |
Please see list of Merton Library branches for normal opening hours, which differ across locations: https://libraries.merton.gov.uk/digital-content/libraries/library-branches
School term and dates
For School term dates and holidays see here.
Mental health support
Merton Talking Therapies can help those experiencing emotional difficulties or mental health issues. The service is a partnership between the NHS and local voluntary sector organisations and is for anyone living in Merton or registered with a Merton GP, 18 years old and over. People can self-refer and find more information here: Merton Talking Therapies, iapt
A number of charities provide advice and helplines to support those facing mental health issues and isolation over Christmas: Useful contacts – Christmas and mental health – Mind.
In a mental health emergency, people can contact the NHS’s urgent mental health helpline on 0800 028 8000 (for South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust)
Emergency housing support/ rough sleeping
When the temperature is forecast to fall to 0°C or colder in any London borough, the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is activated across Greater London.
Arrangements for the SWEP in Merton are as follows:
- If you become aware of a potential rough sleeper, please make a referral, with as much detail as possible about the individual and their location, to:
- StreetLink via their website, or on 0300 500 0914 during office hours
- Merton Housing Strategy Team during office hours on 07584 546 268 or 020 8545 3619 or 020 8545 4112
- Night Duty during out-of-hours on 020 8770 5000, who will, where appropriate, arrange emergency accommodation
For more information, visit: Rough sleeping | Merton Council
Domestic violence support
Incidents of domestic abuse increase over the holidays as people are at home together. There are a range of council-supported services available for anyone experiencing domestic abuse. Visit: www.merton.gov.uk/domesticviolence
Stay updated
Keep up to date with the latest news from your council over the festive season and beyond by signing up to our weekly News InMerton and What’s on InMerton e-newsletters: www.merton.gov.uk/newsletter.
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