Did you know that everyone who recycles aluminium drinks cans and foil in Trafford is helping grow fruit trees in Malawi? In the past year we have all contributed to growing 113 grafted orange trees for families in rural Malawi, and the more we recycle, the more fruit trees will be grown. The tree nurseries are run by local garden clubs and schools, which have been growing guava and pawpaw as well as the local lemon rootstock used for grafting the improved fruit species - a new introduction to the area.

And, as of next month local people will start to receive new bins when the rollout of the council's new kerbside recycling and refuse service begins. The new service means that more recyclables than ever before can be collected from the kerbside including cardboard, telephone directories and plastic bottles. It has been introduced after local people told us they wanted to recycle more but still have their rubbish bin emptied every week. Our new service will provide real value for money in the long term as well as having a positive influence on the future of our environment. Visit www.trafford.gov.uk/recycling to find out more.

Plus this month you can have your say on Trafford’s parks and geen spaces. Forty two of Trafford's premier parks, cemeteries, gardens and countryside sites will be judged as part of the annual Trafford Greenspace Awards - and local people can have their say.

Park users of all ages and backgrounds are invited to take part in the GreenSTAT survey.

The form only takes a few minutes to complete and can be done online at www.greenstat.org.uk, select North West, then Greater Manchester, then Trafford and select the site you wish to comment on.