Photo: Maidstone Borough Council
Mayor of Maidstone Cllr Fay Gooch joined the local Soroptimist group to plant the first of 420 trees at Bridge Mill Way Recreation Ground in Tovil on a very cold and foggy morning on Saturday 15 January.
The project commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Maidstone and Medway Soroptimists Club and the centenary of Soroptimists International group, a global volunteer movement. They’d approached the Parks and Open Spaces team at Maidstone Borough Council to explore a tree planting scheme to leave a lasting legacy for the project.
The 420 native species saplings were donated by the Woodland Trust along with bamboo canes and spiral guards. As native species they are suited to the UK climate, soil and existing wildlife and will provide, shelter, nesting and food sources.
Fay Gooch said: “It was a real privilege to be part of this tree planting with the Soroptimists and I was delighted to plant the first one. Many thanks to our Parks team who prepared the ground and were on hand to show us what to do and to make sure the saplings were correctly planted.
“The new trees will really help to increase biodiversity and bring beauty and wildlife to this ex-landfill site.”
The group made an application to the Woodland Trust to join the scheme through the ‘Community Tree Pack Large Wildlife’. Anyone wishing to plant new trees on community ground should first approach the Wildlife Trust at: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/
The Soroptimists work to empower and enable opportunities for girls and women so they can achieve their best potential and have an equal voice in creating strong and peaceful communities.