The Mail’s thriving campaign to plant thousands of trees across Britain has received another huge boost – a £100,000 donation from a US businessman.
Vernon Hill, who founded Metro Bank in 2010 – the country’s first new high street bank in 100 years, said he and his wife are delighted to support the Be A Tree Angel campaign to create a greener Britain – which is starting with schools.
His six-figure donation highlights the incredible success of the campaign, which is run with The Tree Council charity and has built up huge momentum since its launch in late November.
Mr Hill’s donation is the latest from senior business figures, who have contributed about £500,000, and it will fund the planting of a further 1,000 orchards in 1,000 schools across Britain – one of the branches of the campaign.
The cash will also provide aftercare to ensure the trees thrive as they help to fight pollution around schools, curb climate change and create a greener nation.
Digging in: Metro Bank founder Vernon Hill, with wife Shirley and their Yorkshire terrier Sir Duffield II, backed the campaign
It comes on top of £100,000 donations from restaurant mogul Richard Caring, the entrepreneur and TV star Lord Sugar, an anonymous reader of the Daily Mail and Sir Jony Ive, former chief designer at technology giant Apple.
With the funding from businesses, which also include Sainsbury’s, Lloyds Bank and garden centre chain Dobbies, the Be A Tree Angel campaign will be able to plant 5,500 orchards in 5,500 schools around Britain.
This will help children learn about the vital contribution that trees make to fighting climate change and reducing pollution.
Other notable landmarks in the campaign include Network Rail pledging it would provide funding to the tune of £1million over four years, starting with planting 20,000 trees in the first year as part of a pilot project which it will then expand.
As well as accepting donations from corporate and business donors, the campaign is urging Daily Mail readers to contribute either cash or Nectar points. So far funds have been pledged to plant more than 35,000 trees.
The Daily Mail has also given away thousands of holly, willow, oak, birch and living Christmas trees as part of the campaign and has donated 20,000 spruce trees to Forestry Commission Scotland.
The cash will also provide aftercare to ensure the trees thrive as they help to fight pollution around schools, curb climate change and create a greener nation (file image)
Mr Hill, 75, lived in the UK with his wife Shirley, an architect, and their dog, Sir Duffield II, a Yorkshire terrier, while he was chairman of Metro Bank.
But since stepping down to become emeritus chairman last year, he has moved back to Philadelphia. However, he is still a frequent visitor to the UK and said: ‘On our entry into Britain, we have been warmly welcomed and we are also pleased to give back.
This partnership of The Tree Council, the Daily Mail and the business community is a great effort to improve Britain and engage students.
‘What could be better? Children, trees and the environment and a committed business community.’
Sara Lom, chief executive of The Tree Council, added: ‘Vernon Hill’s passion to create a better future for young people shines through this extraordinary gift. What better way to inspire the scientists and nature enthusiasts of the future than to engage them with tree planting at an early age.
‘On behalf of each child who will help establish an orchard, copse or hedgerow in the coming year – thank you!’
Darren Moorcroft, chief executive of the Woodland Trust, which is a Tree Council member, said: ‘We are thrilled that people have been so generous donating to the Be A Tree Angel campaign.
‘We need trees more than ever to help fight back against climate change, to help tackle air pollution in our towns and cities, and simply to make a greener world to live in.’
