Dame Judi says 'get out in Wiltshire's woods' (From This Is Wiltshire)

Dame Judi says 'get out in Wiltshire's woods'

12:50pm Tuesday 16th December 2008

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Dame Judi Dench and Pete Waterman are encouraging Wiltshire residents to walk off their Christmas dinner with a stroll through a local wood.

The pair have been talking about their love of woods in support of the Woodland Trust’s annual Christmas Card Recycling Scheme.

The scheme involves people recycling their Christmas cards in bins at WHSmith1, Tesco2, TK Maxx3 and M&S4, throughout January and leads to 1,000s of trees being planted in the UK.

The scheme is all part of the charity’s drive to increase woodland cover in the UK, as Wiltshire only has 7.9 per cent woodland cover – compared to a UK average of 12 per cent and a European average of 44 per cent.

The Oscar winning actress and music supremo are challenging people to visit one of Wiltshire’s 15 Woodland Trust sites, which include Stratton Wood, Kingsdown, Swindon.

Dame Judi Dench said: “I find our woods and forests absolutely remarkable.

"They have follies, grottos, waterfalls and surprise views, not forgetting the stunning natural beauty of the trees and glades. They have been a source of inspiration for artists and writers for centuries. A truly magical setting for a walk this Christmas.

“The Woodland Trust do a marvellous job looking after woods in Wiltshire and I applaud their efforts. You can support them too – recycle your Christmas cards in their scheme and help them plant the woods of the future.”

Pete Waterman said: “Many people in Wiltshire know of my enthusiasm for trains and train journeys - it’s the only way to travel.

"I love looking out of the window and watching the magic of nature as the seasons change. Nature is something that we all take for granted and those people who put so much time, effort and resources into preserving the countryside for generation after generation are largely forgotten.

"This is why I am delighted to support The Woodland Trust in their winter initiative of encouraging people to recycle their Christmas Cards.

“I don’t profess to be an expert but I’m told that recycling cards means more trees can be planted. Please support The Woodland Trust with your recycled Christmas cards this year, then, get well wrapped up (as my Mum used to say) and enjoy some fresh air with a woodland walk this Boxing Day "You know the great thing about all this? It’s free. Won’t cost you a penny."

Sue Holden, Chief Executive of the Woodland Trust, said: “A walk in your local wood is a fantastic way to spend Boxing Day.

"While you enjoy your visit please think about recycling your cards with the Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme. The trees which will be planted from the money generated this January will help plant more wonderful woodland for people to enjoy forever.”

Last year the Woodland Trust collected 73.6 million Christmas cards which enabled the charity to plant 17,000 trees in some of its 1,000 UK woods.

The trees are paid for by income from recycling credits, which is income paid by local authorities for waste that does not have to be disposed of in landfill sites.

For more information on the Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme click on the link on the right.

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