Rotarians continue to strengthen the organisation’s environmental credentials ​with a string of green community projects.

In Sleaford, Lincolnshire, Rotarians planted 250 trees at Mareham Pastures to ​improve wildlife, the environment and local community. They also visited the ​newly refurbished Rotary bench.

In Derbyshire, Long Eaton Dawnbreakers Rotary Club were among numerous ​Rotary clubs nationwide who got involved in Christmas tree collections after the ​festive break. The Dawnbreakers provided an environmentally-friendly way for ​resident to dispose of their trees, while raising much-needed funds for the ​Treetops Hospice in Derby.

Faringdon Rotary Club in Oxfordshire organised a similarly successful project with collection points at Shrivenham, Clanfield and Faringdon, saving trips to the council rubbish tips for many people.

Farmer Andrew Liddiard provided a trailer to take away the trees for chipping and use on his farm just outside Faringdon to offer an environmentally-friendly end to the Christmas trees. Money raised went to the Pump House Project, a community-based activity centre for youngsters in the Oxfordshire town.

In Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which has been hit by a spate of winter storms, Rotarians from Oldmeldrum & District were out in force to clear some of the damage and clear the path in the Meldrum Community Gardens.

In Wales, Rotary Llanelli got involved with the Litter Out Of Llanelli campaign by collecting 20 bags in one morning, making a total of more than 70 bags in less than two months. Across the Principality in Cardigan Bay, Rotarians took time out to collect bags of rubbish on the busy coastal road. And over in England, Surrey Heath Rotary made the most of a rainless day to collect four bags of litter.

In North Wales at Rhos on Sea in Cowny, Rotarians Wyn Jones, Cliff Large and Phil Joy have been carrying out repairs to a bench in the village’s park behind the Rhos Fynach. They were indebted to local company, Snowdon Timber, who provided the wood free of charge. The club has a regular programme of carrying out repairs to benches locally, and also maintain the Princess Diana Memorial Garden.

Although the conditions were just a bit cold with snow in the air, it didn't stop students from Shorefields School in Colchester, Essex, working on their insect hotel in conjunction with Colchester Camulos Rotary Club (feature image).

They installed a wooden plaque, and plated grasses and herbs in their sensory garden beds in our wildflower meadow project at Yarra Farm. They were also able to plant some further hedgerow saplings as part of an insect highway.