LEFTWICH Primary School pupils braved the snow last week to plant trees at the Old Hall Lane play area.

Along with staff from the Mersey Forest as part of a Defra-backed initiative called Trees for Learning, the school is doings its bit for a nationwide bid to plant one million trees by 2020.

The Year 5 pupils also learned how to identify a number of native trees including cherry, hazel, field maple and spindle, while planting more than 100 saplings at the park.

Mersey Forest’s Trees for Learning project officer Steph Hepworth said: “We hope that planting these trees has a special significance for these children who will see the tree they planted growing in their local park very close to where many of them actually live.

“This helps give them a sense of belonging to their surroundings and fosters a desire to nurture their environment and look after the place they live in.

“We use the children’s experience, with support from the teachers involved, to ensure that the tree planting project is part of a wider, enjoyable, learning experience that encourages outdoor learning.”

Teachers at the primary school used the chance to discuss biodiversity as part of the national curriculum. Trees for Learning is aiming to plant 164,000 trees.