Watford FC away kit sales set to support local tree planting initiative
The club will be donating 50p from each away shirt sold this season
Watford Borough Council’s tree planting programme is set to receive further support through the sale of Watford Football Club’s 2025/26 away kit, as part of the ongoing Your Tree Our Future initiative.
The football club has pledged to donate 50p from each away shirt sold this season to the scheme. According to the council, this contribution will fund the planting of one tree for every three shirts sold.
The Your Tree Our Future programme is a joint project between Watford Borough Council and Hertfordshire County Council.
It was launched to expand tree coverage across the town, improve biodiversity, and support climate resilience. The club’s contribution will support new planting during the 2026/27 season.
In addition to the funding, the new away kit is made from recycled polyester, making it the first sustainable shirt worn by the team.
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, welcomed the club’s involvement. He 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% carbon cut by 2030.
"When I was elected, I set out in my manifesto to plant 20,000 trees by 2026 in our town.
"Watford has already exceeded this target 2 years ahead of time. This partnership builds on that success and strengthens our commitment to a greener future."
Watford FC’s Head of Procurement and Sustainability, Tarang Panchal, 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."
The council launched the Your Tree Our Future initiative in 2020 with a target to plant 20,000 trees in Watford by 2026. That target was reached in 2024—two years ahead of schedule.
Since the scheme began, achievements include:
14,000 trees distributed to residents in 2022
9,024 trees claimed by residents in 2023
5,000 trees distributed in both 2024 and 2025
Nearly 400 street trees planted along roads and highways since 2021
Over 1,000 trees planted in local parks
158 trees added to neighbourhood areas in 2025
3,000 saplings planted in Whippendell Wood and 100 at Lea Farm Recreation Ground in 2025
Councillor Ian Stotesbury, Portfolio Holder for Sustainability, added: "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."
According to the council, this investment has increased Watford’s overall canopy cover to 18.2%, which is 2% higher than the national average.
The trees planted through the initiative are expected to remove around 125,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere over their lifetime. The programme also contributes to Hertfordshire County Council’s wider goal of planting 1.8 million trees by 2030.
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.