Forest of stars back our Tree Angels campaign
Ab Fab’s Joanna and author Jilly branching out to support Mail
STARS including absolutely Fabulous’s Joanna Lumley and author Jilly Cooper are rooting for the Daily Mail’s Be a tree angel campaign.
strictly dancer anton du Beke and broadcaster Clive anderson have also voiced support for our drive for a greener Britain.
the campaign, organised with the tree Council, is calling on readers to plant trees – or donate money for them – around the country.
Miss Lumley, 73, said: ‘I think this campaign is thrilling and really well-timed. trees are our ancestors and protectors.
‘Planting more trees in the world will be the saving of us all.
‘I whole-heartedly support the Mail for putting out its green fingers and celebrating trees in this way.’ Miss Cooper, 82, who has sold more than 11million books worldwide, told how trees help lift her spirits. she said: ‘trees provide shelter and beauty. they lift the heart and are constantly changing so one never gets bored.
‘this week I woke gasping in wonder at white woods covered in snow. By evening, the setting sun had turned the beeches flaming orange. thank you Daily Mail for cherishing and protecting our trees.’
Mr du Beke, 53, who is taking part in the strictly semi-final this weekend, said: ‘We’ve got a lovely garden in Buckinghamshire with a wonderful horse chestnut and our drive has been covered in conkers.’
the father-of-two added: ‘I support the Mail’s campaign to get Britain planting trees so that my children – and their children – can enjoy trees and play conkers in the future.’ Mr du Beke, who is soon off on his anton and Erin Dance those Magical Movies tour with former strictly pro Erin Boag, said he was a keen conker player growing up in sevenoaks, Kent.
‘When I was at primary school we used to walk across a meadow past this massive old horse chestnut tree. We used to throw sticks at the tree, trying to get the conkers off.
‘It’s one of those memories that I have from my childhood that’s really vivid and it really resonates that an old conker tree is part of my life today as it was when I was seven.’
Former Whose Line Is It anyway? host Mr anderson, 66, president of the Woodland trust, said: ‘all power to the Mail campaign. I am all for trees. For ages now, I have been banging on about them to anyone who was interested – and many more who weren’t.’
so far the campaign, which began on November 23, has led to readers planting or pledging more than 30,000 trees.
‘Thrilling and well-timed’