Duo will dig deep to help rainforest

11:29am Friday 27th October 2006

A BAR owner is getting set to jet off to Ecuador to plant 5,000 trees.

Simon Harrington, aged 38, who owns The Bar in Nelson Square, Bolton, and Richard Greenwood, aged 31, of Bradshawgate, are travelling to the rainforest later this month to raise awareness of the problems of deforestation.

The two men are undertaking the mammoth task in just 28 days, and will be working for 14 hours at a time to complete the Community Watershed Project, run by Rainforest Concern.

Mr Greenwood said: "We need to raise awareness as 150 acres of rainforest are being burned every minute of every day." The pair need to raise £15,000 to travel to Ecuador and fund one of the projects, and have already raised £6,300. Mr Greenwood even asked for donations to the project instead of gifts at his recent wedding.

Their aim is to eventually fund six or seven of the projects.

They will be holding various events including a live music night at The Bar in Nelson Square in December.

More information can be found at www.twomenplantaforest.

co.uk The Amazon rainforest has been called the lungs of the planet' and produces 20 per cent of the world's oxygen as well as half the world's natural rainwater.