The Woodland Trust is urging schools and community groups across the East Midlands to apply for their free tree-pack.

The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK with more than 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a UK rich in native woods and trees for people and wildlife.

Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 29,000 hectares. Access to its woods is free so everyone can benefit from woods and trees.

Now, the Woodland Trust is giving away hundreds of thousands of trees to schools and communities to make sure everybody in the UK has the chance to plant a tree.

Applications for delivery in November 2023 have just opened, and you have until August to apply.

The last round of the ever-popular free tree-packs scheme was the Woodland Trust's biggest-ever single send-out, with 4,625 organisations across the UK taking advantage of the scheme.

A total of 326 schools and community groups in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland took delivery of their trees.

In the East Midlands, 54,135 trees were sent out to 326 organisations:

• 17,160 trees to 93 organisations in Derbyshire
• 11,850 trees to 65 organisations in Leicestershire
• 14,130 trees to 90 organisations in Lincolnshire
• 10,860 trees to 77 organisations in Nottinghamshire
• 135 trees to one organisations in Rutland

The figures for the East Midlands were part of a bumper autumn delivery which saw 740,970 saplings finding homes the length and breadth of the UK, bringing the annual total to a record-breaking 1.3m trees for 2022.

Woodland Trust senior project lead Vicki Baddeley said there is no time like the present to sign up and take advantage of the scheme: "With Christmas looming and National Tree Week upon us, now really is a good time to get those applications in and ensure you don't miss out.

"Planting trees has so many benefits, from combatting the effects of climate change, helping support wildlife, to greening up local spaces and boosting well-being.

"We still have lots of trees available but with schools breaking up before you know it, and the hectic holiday period around the corner, it makes sense to get organised nice and early and avoid a last-minute rush in early January.

"Planting trees is such a simple action, but the collective impact can make a huge difference. It's a great way for schoolchildren and community groups to learn about nature and the environment and, at the same time, embrace a Green Christmas."

The Trust's tree packs have been generously funded by lead partners: Sainsbury's, Lloyds Bank, OVO Energy, Bank of Scotland and Sofology.

Baddeley added: "As ever, the support and generosity of our funders is invaluable and we simply couldn't do this without them.

"The help each and every one of them provides is hugely appreciated and helps to ensure we can provide and deliver our saplings in such huge numbers."

Packs you can apply for are:

• Hedge - approx 30 trees, dog rose, hawthorn, etc.
• Copse - approx 30 trees, silver birch, wild cherry, etc.
• Wild harvest - 105 0r 420 trees, hazel, crab apple, etc.
• Year around colour - 105 or 420 trees, wild cherry, rowan, hazel, etc.
• Wildwood - 105 or 420 trees, goat willow, holly etc.
• Working wood - 105 or 420 trees, field maple, rowan, etc.
• Wildlife - 105 or 420 trees, sessile oak, hazel, blackthorn, etc.
• Urban trees - 15 trees, crab apple, rowan etc.

To apply to take advantage of this scheme, head online.