The Bishop of London and the environmentalist David Bellamy have launched a new millennium project designed to plant Yew Trees in every parish in the country.

Ancient Yew trees predating the birth of Jesus are to be donated by the Conservation Foundation and to be planted in every parish ensuring a living heritage into the new millennium. The Foundation has recorded almost 500 ancient yews, from 1000 to 5000 years old.

The evergreen yew was a sacred tree to the Druids and Celtic people. When St Augustine brought Christianity to England he was told not to destroy the pagan shrines and places of worship but to bring the Church there. This explains why so many ancient yews predate the churches in whose churchyards they stand.

It has been discovered recently that taxol which is available from the yew tree can assist in the fight against cancer.