PEOPLE of all ages across Chippenham are being encouraged to pick up a spade and get digging later this month to help plant more than 6,000 trees in the town.

The trees will form part of the Westmead Hub development, a project led by the Chippenham Borough Lands Charity, which recently opened a country car park in Pewsham Way.

The hub, which has been granted pre-planning approval by Wiltshire Council, would provide a space for the young, the old and the vulnerable to come together where they can benefit from a number of shared resources and spaces, including a climbing wall, nature trails and natural amphitheatre.

An open day will be held on February 25 from 9am-3pm where the public are welcome to come and help plant the trees, which will be located on open space beyond Avenue La Fleche.

Suitable clothing and footwear should be worn, while directions will be available from the new car park in Pewsham Way.

Ian Humphreys, chairman of trustees, said: “We hope that members of the public can join us on February 25 to share in this community project.”