IKEA customers are being thanked for helping the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity create rich swathes of new native forest.
Staff from IKEA stores across the country gathered with the Woodland Trust to plant a tree at the store as a thank you for shoppers’ support over the last 12 months.
In the four-year project between the charity and the furniture company, a foot of forest is created every time a customer swipes their IKEA Family card.
In the first year, shoppers have made around 3,000,000 swipes – raising enough for more than 70 acres of woodland.
So, to celebrate the one year anniversary, the Woodland Trust has donated a Rowan tree to a number of stores, which were planted by representatives from the store and the Woodland Trust at special ceremonies during January and February.
Sue Holden, Chief Executive of the Woodland Trust says: “I want to say a great big ‘thank you’ to IKEA customers. The Woodland Trust looks after more than one thousand woods and it’s wonderful to see people supporting that work. Trees are the lungs of the planet, as well as being a wonderful playground to explore and learn about natural habitats. Keep swiping your IKEA Family Cards, so that we can continue to create more new native woodland together!”
Gary Pearce, from IKEA Wednesbury (near Birmingham), which was one of the stores taking part in the anniversary plantings said: “IKEA is always looking for ways to be greener and the Woodland Trust is a fantastic charity that we were keen to get behind. This partnership gives our customers a simple way to make a difference to their environment just by swiping their IKEA Family card when they shop in store.”
Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact:
Alex Claydon in the Woodland Trust Press Office, on 0845 293 5691 or 0845 293 5605, email: alexclaydon@woodlandtrust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters.
The Trust has three key aims: i) to enable the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees ii) to protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future iii) to inspire everyone to enjoy and value woods and trees
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.