A HELMSLEY businesswoman is asking residents and visitors to ‘dig deep’ and help her plant more than 200 trees in Yorkshire and Uganda.

Lynn Hempsall, of Helmsley Traditional Sweet Shop, decided to start a fundraising campaign to plant trees in two locations almost 6,500 miles apart.

The shop is asking for individual donations of £2 to pay for two trees – one for Yorkshire and the other for Uganda.

Lynn has previously taken three trips to the African country to volunteer as part of environmental work, including planting trees and educating locals and schoolchildren in Kisoro on how to protect the vulnerable mountain gorillas.

The country relies heavily on tourists and volunteers and it has been particularly impacted by the pandemic and the ban on travel.

A message from a charity worker saying they had been unable to secure any trees in the last year for the school children in Kisoro to plant cemented the fundraising idea in her mind.

“I think we have never appreciated trees as much as we do now,” she said.

“In Uganda, the trees are vital to offer shade, for the fruit they bear and for medicines – and numbers being planted have decreased dramatically from over 4000 in 2012 to less than 500 in 2019.

“Beyond that we all know the important role trees play in helping with climate change over time, so planting more leaves a legacy for all our families.

“Hopefully, we can raise enough for 100 trees for each location – but of course if we can get more than that would be even better.”

Denis Aqaba works for the Wildlife Clubs of Uganda covering the Kisoro area, which includes two forests where mountain gorillas live.

“We are so grateful to Lynn for the fundraising she is doing and would like to thank everyone who is able to donate,” he added.

“The trees are so important in Uganda for so many reasons – for gorilla food, human food, medicine and wood burning."

To donate visit Helmsley Traditional Sweet Shop in Barkers Yard, Helmsley, or donate via www.helmsleysweets.co.uk.