Local MEP urges Christmas card recycling.

4.05.00pm GMT Fri 9th Jan 2009

Liz Lynne, the LibDem MEP for the West Midlands region today met with staff of a local branch of W H Smiths in order to promote their Christmas card recycling programme.

Each year the company puts out boxes in its stores to collect Christmas cards which are then recycled by the Woodland Trust. Last year the scheme received 73.6 million cards and enabled the Woodland Trust to plant 17000 trees.

Speaking today Liz said:

"It is very important that people remember to recycle their Christmas cards and I think that this scheme is a fantastic way to do it.

"There are still many councils in England who are unable to recycle card and so many people don't have the option of putting them in their own recycling bins.

The scheme allows them to simply come along to their nearest W H Smiths and drop off their cards. Not only that, but in doing so they will be helping the Woodland Trust, an excellent environmental charity that does great work through its tree planting programme.

Sally Pamplin, the supervisor at the Stratford- Upon- Avon branch of W H Smiths said:

"I think the scheme is a really good idea. So far this year it has been a great success and we've received a lot of cards.

"The scheme doesn't finish until the end of the month so there is still time for people to come in and drop their cards in one of our blue bins."

ENDS