GREEN-fingered residents will have the opportunity to contribute to the environment by purchasing a plant next month.

Squires Garden Centre in Wokingham are pledging to donate hundreds of silver birch trees to the community throughout September.

The scheme aims to collect 5p from every customer who purchases a plant or tree in Squires to plant trees by early next year, 2020.

Wokingham Borough Council is working closely with the garden centre to make spaces greener across the borough.

Sarah Squire, Squire's chairman, said: “At Squire’s we strive to be very much part of the local communities in which our garden centres are located. We want to thank our customers by giving back to the local area, and what better way to do this than by providing stunning Silver Birch trees that people can enjoy for years to come.

"Silver Birch's are native British trees that are fantastic for the environment, as they can improve air and soil quality, and they are great for wildlife too, providing food and habitats for many birds and insects.”

In 2018, the garden centre donated over 230,000 tulip bulbs to brighten spaces in the area.

Councillor Gregor Murray, executive member for climate emergency, said: "It’s great to see local businesses doing what they can to help fight climate change and I commend Squire’s garden centre for their scheme, and for giving something back to the local area.

"Tree planting is an essential step in offsetting our carbon footprint across the Wokingham borough and silver birch trees are a fantastic choice.

“I look forward to seeing how many trees Squire’s, and their customers plant, and we welcome all businesses to run similar environmental schemes, great and small, which will help the borough in its goal to be carbon neutral by 2030.”