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Volunteers from Wales & West Utilities have planted 24 trees in Downend’s King George V playing fields, as part of a link-up with South Gloucestershire Council.

This is the second initiative that has seen colleagues from the gas emergency and pipeline service plant trees in the area to help improve local biodiversity. The planting is part of Wales & West Utilities pledge to plant five trees for every one they have to remove as part of the essential work to keep the gas flowing safely to heat and power local homes and businesses.

The event builds on the first planting exercise, which saw more than 20 trees planted in Mangotsfield during February last year. It supports the council’s own tree planting programme to enhance biodiversity and improve air quality, whilst helping improve the aesthetics of the local area.

Wales & West Utilities is investing £400m in the gas network between 2021 and 2026 and is committed to helping communities right across Wales and south west England go green. This involves a number of long-lasting initiatives that benefit the communities it serves – including improving air quality and biodiversity.

Stacy Griffiths, Corporate Environment Lead at Wales & West Utilities, was one of the volunteers who took part in the tree planting. She said:

This exercise was a small step in improving the local environment but one that was hugely enjoyed by us all.

We hope that the trees will be enjoyed by the local community for years to come and that they will also see the benefit through enhanced biodiversity.

“We are pleased that the partnership with South Gloucestershire Council is delivering a positive outcome and are looking forward to further tree-planting exercises across our network.

As well as the pledge to plant trees, in Wales & West Utilities 2021-2026 business plan the company also committed to:

  • Recycling or reusing 80% waste by 2026, while eliminating single use plastic and reducing paper consumption by 75% by 2026. Together these measures will help the company achieve zero waste to landfill by 2035
  • Aiming for a zero emissions fleet (including HGVs) by 2035
  • Adopting the principle of Biodiversity Net Gain – an approach that aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than it was previously by improving biodiversity and ecosystems.

Wales & West Utilities, the gas emergency and pipeline service, brings energy to 7.5m people across the south west of England and Wales. If you smell gas, or suspect the presence of carbon monoxide, call us on 0800 111 999 straight away, and our engineers will be there to help any time of day or night. Before visiting, we'll ask you to let us know if you or anyone in your household, is experiencing Coronavirus symptoms or self-isolating. We'll still come and help you: but our teams will take some additional precautions to keep us all safe.