Football team goes green to support tree initiative

A football club is joining an initiative to plant trees by donating money from kit sales as part of its commitment to sustainability.

Watford FC has unveiled its new 2025/26 away kit, which is made from recycled polyester and is the first sustainable shirt the team have worn. The club will donate 50p from every away shirt sale to Your Tree Our Future, a free tree giveaway programme in Hertfordshire.

A joint project between Watford Borough Council and Hertfordshire County Council, the campaign contributes to Hertfordshire’s wider goal of planting 1.8 million trees by 2030. These trees are expected to remove around 125,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere over their lifetime.

The contribution from Watford FC will support new planting during the 2026/27 season, enabling the council to expand the reach of the programme and continue delivering environmental improvements across parks, residential areas and public highways.

Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: “It’s fantastic that Watford FC are working with us to plant new trees locally. I’m really grateful to the club for supporting the environment in this way. They continue to lead by example –aiming for net zero by 2040 and a 50 per cent carbon cut by 2030.”

Since launching the ambitious target in 2020 to plant 20,000 trees in Watford by 2026 – a goal achieved two years ahead of schedule – the council’s tree planting achievements to date include:

• 14,000 trees distributed to residents through community giveaways in 2022

• A further 9,024 trees were claimed by Watford residents in 2023 and 5,000 in 2024 and 2025, respectively

• Almost 400 street trees planted along roads and highways since 2021

• Over 1,000 trees planted in parks to improve shade, visual appeal and biodiversity

• 158 new trees introduced in neighbourhood areas in 2025

• 3,000 saplings planted in Whippendell Wood and 100 at Lea Farm Recreation Ground in 2025

This investment has so far increased Watford’s overall canopy cover to 18.2 per cent – 2 per cent higher than the national average.

Councillor Ian Stotesbury, Portfolio Holder for Sustainability, said: “It’s so important that we all have access to thriving green spaces and we continue working to support nature. Together we can achieve so much, and I’m thrilled that Watford FC is once again showing its commitment as the original family club by helping to plant more trees across our town, benefitting both our residents and the environment.”

Tarang Panchal, Head of Procurement and Sustainability at the club, said: “We have an ambition to be one of the most sustainable, green football clubs in the UK, and the new away kit is very much aligned with this vision.”

While the scheme is currently closed for new tree requests in 2025, residents can join a waiting list to be notified when it reopens in 2026.