Dame Judi Dench asks Essex to recycle this Christmas

FILM legend Dame Judi Dench is urging Essex residents to recycle their Christmas cards with the Woodland Trust and then choose where in their area they would like trees funded by the scheme to be planted.

The Oscar winning actress is asking residents to support the UK's leading woodland conservation charity by recycling their Christmas cards in special bins at WHSmith, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer, throughout January

After recycling your cards, simply log onto www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/cards and choose which UK region you would like the Woodland Trust to plant trees in, with funding provided by the retail partners.

Dame Judi Dench said: "We all enjoy giving and receiving Christmas cards, well thanks to the Woodland Trust there is the chance for a second giving and receiving opportunity this year. I would like to challenge people in Essex to give to the environment, recycle their cards and then receive trees for their environment by going to www.woodlandtrust.org/cards and choosing where the new trees generated by this year's recycling should be planted!"

Since the Woodland Trust started its Christmas Card Recycling Scheme, a total of 659m cards have been recycled nationwide - 59m last year alone, which funded the planting of 14,000 trees.

In the 12 years of the project, 13,080 tonnes of cards have been collected, allowing the Trust to plant 155,000 trees

Paul Hetherington, from the Woodland Trust, said: "Each year we value the wonderful support from everyone who recycles their Christmas cards with the Trust, which makes a huge difference to our work!

"This is why we want to say a big thank you this year by giving people the opportunity to choose where their trees are planted."

For more information and to register your vote log onto www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/cards