DURING the next four years, the Woodland Trust will be commemorating the centenary of the First World War by planting millions of trees across the country – and you have the chance to create a lasting tribute to those who lived and served during the war.

The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, championing native woods and trees. It owns more than 1,000 sites across the UK, and now has ambitious plans to create four Centenary Woods – one each in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – to commemorate the anniversary. These woods will offer a unique place for reflection, with trees planted in memory of people who lived and served during the war.

Donations made towards the project will play a huge part in purchasing, developing and caring for the new woods.

The Trust and the Ilkley Gazette and Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer are hoping readers will dedicate a tree in one of the Centenary Woods. Your donation of £20 will enable the Trust to dedicate a single tree to create a lasting tribute to your ancestors, which will become part of a larger woodland story and stand as a peaceful tribute for future generations to appreciate.

So dedicating a tree in the Centenary Woods is a lasting, unique and very personal way to commemorate those who lived and died during the First World War. And practically every family in the country has someone who gave their all and so deserves to be remembered in this lasting, unique and personal way.

The Ilkley Gazette and Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer would like to publish the most moving stories from local people as they dedicate their trees, so please do get in touch with us.

Your local paper will be paid ten per cent of donations to help pay for the cost of this appeal. The remaining 90 per cent of your donation will go to the Trust.

To find out more about the project, to dedicate a tree or to make a contribution to any of the Woodland Trust’s four new sites, simply visit woodlandtrust.org.uk/mylocalpaper or call 0800 9151914.