The creation of a new woodland in Sandwich will not only help the environment, but also a Sandwich Technology student who is raising funds for a trip to India.

Zara McDermott, 17, of Delf Street, agreed to join the Gerry Martin project to India, building an irrigation system for a rural community.

To help her raise the £2,000 needed for the trip, she has decided to plant 100 trees and start a community woodland.

She said: “When someone offered the use of some land between my school in Sandwich and Worth village we agreed it would make a lovely community woodland.

“My challenge was to raise money to go to India to help work on a sustainable community project; wouldn’t it be nice to do it by creating a sustainable community project in England?”

Miss McDermott asked people to donate towards a tree, creating the first phase of a new woodland for the benefit of the community.

With the area ploughed by a local farmer and donations of 50 trees from Archers Low Nursery, as well as from The Woodland Trust, work could begin.

On Saturday, Miss McDermott, her mother Siobhan Matthews and Steve Laslett worked with Simon Dundas, otherwise known as the Whistling Gardener, to plant the woodland.

Miss McDermott hopes that next year’s students who wish to go to India will extend the woodland with another 100 trees.

“That way the project will grow along with the woodland,” she said.

“We still have some more trees to plant, so please get in touch. You will have a tree with your name on it forever.”

Miss McDermott has a Facebook page dedicated to the project or call her on 07909 972700.