November 2004
Green fingered Charlie wants children to get outdoors
Charlie Dimmock backs the Woodland Trust’s Tree For All campaign
Celebrity gardener Charlie Dimmock used her green fingers to tie a green ribbon round an old oak tree to celebrate the start of the Woodland Trust’s Tree For All campaign that will encourage a million children to plant trees across the UK.
Charlie believes that Tree For All provides a fantastic opportunity to inspire children with a love of nature “Children I meet everywhere I go are really enthusiastic when I talk to them about nature and wildlife. Tree For All is a wonderful way to get children outdoors and involved in growing trees and caring for their generations environment.” They might start in their back gardens.
The Woodland Trust’s Tree For All campaign will be the country’s largest ever children’s tree planting campaign. Tree For All aims to reconnect a generation that is becoming increasingly disengaged from the natural world through the simple act of planting a tree. The campaign will see twelve million trees to be planted across the country, which is a tree for every child under the age of 16, over the next five years.
Andy Beer of the Woodland Trust adds: “Tree For All is all about encouraging children to get involved in tree planting in their local communities. We want children to take a break from spending the weekend watching TV and playing on video games and to get outside, get muddy and learn about how they can help make a difference for the future of our natural world. We want to inspire children with a love of nature to ensure that the next generation grows up ready to take action.”
Charlie says: “We need a new generation to get passionate and involved about the planet as it is such a delicate environmental balance. Tree For All is a way of doing this. It deserves our support.”
Tree For All is happening nationwide, with planting events and community activities taking place across the UK. If you can’t get to an organised tree planting event you can still make a difference by planting a tree at home, at school, in your local community or you can even plant an e-tree online.
For more information about how to get involved, visit the website at www.treeforall.org.uk or call 0845 108 1428.
Notes to editors
Please click on the following links for outstanding images of Charlie Dimmock Picture credits: WTPL/Robert Rathbone
http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/pressimages/dimmock1.jpg
http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/pressimages/dimmock2.jpg
http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/pressimages/dimmock3.jpg
For media enquiries contact: The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, e-mail media@woodland-trust.org.uk
The Tree For All campaign coincides with the The Tree Council’s National Tree Week (from 24 November to 5 December). This nationwide festival to mark the start of the tree-planting season and celebrate trees and woods involves a wide range of individuals and organisations, including Tree Council members such as the Woodland Trust. For more information on National Tree Week, visit www.treecouncil.org.uk
The Woodland Trust: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 250,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodland-trust.org.uk
