Vic Craven with the help of his Yorkshire team-mate Chris Silverwood, hands over his old bat to Ray Crowther in the company of Oliver Mantle from Taylors of Harrogate and Lisa Goodridge from the Woodland Trust, to get the appeal off to a flying start!

You've heard of recycling paper, bottles and aluminium cans but family tea merchants Taylors of Harrogate have taken it a stage further, by teaming up with Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the Woodland Trust to recycle old cricket bats. Cricketers across the county are encouraged to donate their unwanted pieces of willow, which will be sent to a school in South Africa and for every one received, Taylors of Harrogate will help plant a tree in Yorkshire, with the Woodland Trust, the UK's leading woodland conservation charity.

The idea came about after Taylors received a plea from Ray Crowther from Baildon West Yorkshire, who spends his winters coaching cricket at Port Alfred High School, just outside Port Elizabeth. Many of the pupils are passionate about cricket, but few can afford their own equipment. According to Jessica Ambler from Taylors of Harrogate, `We were very interested to hear of Ray's work in South Africa and hope that cricketers all over Yorkshire will rise to the occasion. Recycling old bats will also help the environment in a second way because as a small thank you to everyone who contributes a bat to our appeal, we will help plant a tree in Yorkshire with the Woodland Trust.'

No bat is too old or too battered! All you need to do is to bring your old bats to the County Office at Headingley before the end of the current season, in time for them to be flown over 6000 miles for the South African summer.

For more information:
Please contact Oliver Mantle from Taylors of Harrogate on 01423 814000 or Simon Hopkinson from the Woodland Trust on 01476 581112

© Taylors of Harrogate