A WITHAM councillor has supported the town Rotary Club in donating ten new trees for a school.

Witham Northern councillor Ross Playle has taken part in Essex County Council’s Free Tree Giveaway scheme in conjunction with the Essex Forest Initiative.

The scheme gives councillors across Essex the chance to request up to ten trees to plant in their ward as part of the local authority’s bid to plant more trees over the next five years, equivalent to the size of 210 football pitches.

Mr Playle requested ten tree 'whips' - a mixture of native tree species - and offered the community the chance to plant them across the town.

The opportunity was taken up by Witham Rotary Club who now plan to plant them in the grounds of Chatten Free School in Rickstones Road.

Witham Rotary Club president Keith Harman collected the ten whips on behalf of the organisation and will now work with RHS Hyde Hall to plant the trees, which will eventually provide some shade in summer for the children, and a habitat for local wildlife.

Mr Playle said: “I am delighted to have secured these new tree whips for Witham and want to give my thanks to Essex County Council’s forestry and woodland team for giving communities the chance to get involved in the planting of more trees.

“I also want to pay a huge thank you to Witham Rotary Club, and in particular, club president Keith Harman, who will now take these trees on, nurture them and see that they grow to fruition for the benefit of one of Witham’s newest schools, as well as local wildlife.”