Team Sky to Help Save One Billion Trees in the Amazon

ISLEWORTH, England, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time ever, riders competing in The Tour of Britain for Team Sky will be raising awareness of deforestation in the Amazon by wearing a Sky Rainforest Rescue inspired kit.  The tour kicks off in Rochdale on Saturday 11th September and ends in London the following weekend.

Sky Rainforest Rescue is a three year campaign between Sky and WWF to help save a billion trees in the state of Acre, northwest Brazil. Deforestation is now responsible for roughly 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions and an area the size of three football pitches is destroyed every minute in the Amazon rainforest.

Richard Harris, WWF's Fundraising Project Manager said: "The more people that know about the work we are carrying out in the Amazon rainforest to improve people's lives and protect the amazing species and habitat, the more likely they are to support the cause.  We are delighted that Team Sky have decided to support Sky Rainforest Rescue."

Team Sky riders will be sporting Sky Rainforest Rescue branded jerseys, glasses, helmets, water bottles, saddles and bikes as they travel across the country competing in this exciting road race.

Riders competing for Team Sky include Steve Cummings, Russell Downing, Mathew Hayman, Greg Henderson, Geraint Thomas and Bradley Wiggins.

Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins commented: "Wearing this unique Sky Rainforest Rescue kit during the Tour of Britain is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness for a really important issue and help reach the target of raising 4 million* pounds Sterling to save 1 billion trees in the Amazon."

Sky Rainforest Rescue offers a number of ways for people to help Sky and WWF tackle deforestation; for just 3 pounds a month you can sponsor an acre of rainforest or adopt a jaguar, and a donation of 20 pounds will help save 1000 tress.

Notes to editors:

*All money raised through Sky Rainforest Rescue will be donated to WWF-UK, charity registered in England and Wales number 1081247 and in Scotland number SC039593. Sky will donate a further 1 pound to WWF-UK to match each 1 pound raised through Sky Rainforest Rescue, and has guaranteed to contribute a total of 2,000,000 pounds.

About Team Sky:

Sky is the principal partner of British Cycling at both an elite level, supporting elite riders and Team Sky, and a grass-roots level by making cycling fun and accessible for everyone. Sky aims to inspire the next generation of cycling heroes with Team Sky and hopes to win the Tour de France, clean, with a British rider within five years, whilst getting one million more people cycling regularly by 2013.

SOURCE Sky