The three days of planting on the Templars Estate were completed on 1 December with 32 trees in the ground. Following the planting on the first occasion of 8 cherries and a London plane around the play areas, reported above, 10 hornbeams of 2 varieties were planted on 24 November on an adjacent site and 10 acers of 3 varieties, 2 ornamental pears and a liquidambar were planted on the same site on 1 December.
The cherries, hornbeams and acers were funded by the Forestry Commission via Essex County Council. The remaining 4 trees were funded by a grant to the Templars Residents Association from Witham Town Council. As ever we are grateful to the funding authorities for their support in improving the environment for Witham residents. Particular thanks go to the Residents Association who approached us some time ago for help in enhancing the tree cover on the estate and worked with us in devising the project. We were pleased to see our chief contact, Mel, on site on every day of the planting.
Once again we were able to count on the help of volunteers from Aegon. As mentioned above, 3 helped on 17 November. On 24 November we were very happy to be joined by Alex, Craig, Jackie, Richard and Zoe. On 1 December we were absolutely stunned to find ourselves welcoming no fewer than 18 Aegon volunteers, including a number from their Scottish office who were coming south on other business but volunteered to join their Witham colleagues in helping us. As we were ourselves shorthanded and had 13 trees to plant, we were delighted to welcome them. They were: Adam, Archana, Ben, Bob, Carrie, Colin G., Colin S., Dean, Jessica, John P., John W., Matthew, Neil, Oliver, Richard, Ross, Stephen and Terry. We have commented in previous years on the praiseworthy enthusiasm and commitment of the Aegon volunteers and this year’s group (which included some welcome returnees) comfortably maintained that high standard. We should perhaps make it completely clear that all the volunteers have been, not only enthusiastic and committed, but also hugely effective. We would not have been able to plant as many trees as we have without their help. Witham owes them all a considerable debt.
One footnote, on all the planting days since 2014-15 when we first started planting a substantial number of trees each year we had never suffered significant rain. We lost this enviable record on the first day of planting this year, when we were thoroughly soaked! By way of inadequate compensation we saw plenty of the sun on the other 2 planting days, as the photos show.
Richard Hawkes
1 December 2022
