ACCOUNTANTS from a Bromsgrove firm swapped spreadsheets for spades and profits for pitchforks by planting hundreds of new trees.

Staff from Martin G Clark & Co, in Aston Fields, planted 564 at The Heart of England Forest near Evesham, in addition to making a donation of £681 to the charitable trust.

Dave Hazlehurst, a director from Martin G Clark, said: “This is a lovely charity to support.

"We are proud that having traditionally been 'paper-pushers', Martin G Clark has not only been transitioning into working paperless but are now actually planting trees rather than using them up. Quite a reversal!”

The tree-planting was the culmination of a 12-month period supporting the charity, instigated by Halesowen-based Cutter & Co Chartered Accountants - which formally merged with Martin G Clark & Co in Bromsgrove in December.

In April 2019, Cutter & Co had nominated The Heart of England Forest as its chosen charity for a year.

The business agreed to donate the cost of one tree sapling on behalf of all clients who settled their invoices within 15 days during certain months.

Clients who qualified received a certificate of the donation made on their behalf.

The Heart of England Forest is a charity registered by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, with its head office in Stratford-upon-Avon.

It has an ambitious vision to plant, protect and preserve a new forest, planted with the help and support of anyone wishing to be a part of the project.

The forest will become a place of tranquillity and natural beauty for everyone to enjoy.

A representative said: “Planting a tree is a great way of connecting with your environment and sowing the seeds of a better world for the next generation.”