Rotary International President has challenged every Rotarian around the world to plant a tree in an effort to help the environment. Rotary in Britain and Ireland (RIBI) has taken up the challenge and, in conjunction with the Woodland Trust who are supplying the saplings, asked every Rotary club to take part.

Biddulph Rotary accepted the challenge last year, and have identified the new cemetery extension as a suitable site. Although the effort has been delayed by the bad weather, a group of Rotarians set to work last Saturday to plant over 100 saplings.

Community projects co-ordinator, Tony Birchall, said 'this challenge is a great way for Biddulph Rotary to demonstrate its continued support of the local community and also affords our club members the opportunity to work with other local groups. There are still 120 trees to be planted and Town Administrator, Sarah Haydon, has identified suitable planting sites for completion of the challenge and this work will be done during the next few weeks..

If all Rotary clubs in RIBI take part in this challenge, over 47,000 trees will be planted, equivalent to a forest the size of 100 football pitches.

Biddulph Rotary currently maintains the Bateman Walk and the Wildlife garden, in the cemetery, and this is to be resurfaced and the pathway edgings replaced during the next few weeks. This follows a successful application for funds from Northwest District Rotary to pay for the work.