Planting a tree for every child in Helston is just one of the projects being put forward in a plan to improve the town's environmental future.

It is part of an action plan being officially unveiled next Monday by the Helston Climate Action Group, formed by councillors and people in the community after Helston Town Council declared a climate emergency back in March.

Building on the Forest for Cornwall project, in which Cornwall Council plans to spend up to £30 million covering 8,000 hectares with trees to soak up carbon emitted by homes, businesses, cars and machines, the Helston group hopes to ultimately have a tree for every child living in the town, of which they believe there are currently around 2,600 under the age of 16.

Action group chairman Dave Potter encouraged people to give a tree as a present for birthdays, Christmas and other celebrations, adding: "If you own some land and would like trees to be planted on it, get in touch."

Another project already beginning to get underway is a Repair Cafe. An initial meeting has already taken place and further details are to be worked out before it is launched to the public.

The idea is for people to take along items that would otherwise be thrown away and learn how to fix them from volunteers sharing their skills.

Mr Potter said: "Consumption accounts for over a third of our carbon footprint.We have become a throw-away society. By mending things we can consume less."

Other projects include Incredible Edibles - where people turn disused plots into sources of healthy food - and pop-up energy advice surgeries, giving tips on how to reduce energy demand and change to renewable sources.

Mr Potter said: " There is no doubt that we face a climate emergency and that the sooner we take action to address this, the better our chances are to limit its effects.

"We must reduce our carbon footprint and we must address nature restoration."

He called for people living in the town and surrounding area to get behind the projects, adding: "HCAG as it exists, with about 30 people, cannot achieve alone that which is needed.

"I cannot emphasise this enough, but for Helston to have a chance to become carbon neutral by 2030 and to address nature restoration, we need you, the community to get engaged and step forward."