The Tree Council is excited to be taking part in this year’s Earth Raise campaign run by the Big Give, which runs from 22 April (Earth Day) to 29 April.
We asked our National Schools Programme Manager, Katie Rafferty to tell us why orchards and hedgerows in schools are so important:
Trees in schools awaken skills and confidence in young people. I can’t count the number of times jubilant teachers have told me that children struggling to engage with traditional classroom learning are the school’s top tree planters. Or how the practical applications of the curriculum – crawling around a hedgerow to explore habitats, or learning about pollination with cherry blossom grown on their own tree – have been the catalyst for a pupil’s understanding.
Fruit trees in schools can feed a community. In some of the schools we work with, the fruit grown supports cooking clubs and food tech lessons, providing free, healthy ingredients. In a Sheffield primary school, it is added to their community fridge, offering free food to local people and families who need it.
I’ve seen trees bring communities together: One Middlesbrough primary school we work with was joined on planting day by more than 70 family members and local residents, arriving with spades tucked under their arms, ready to help transform the school’s entrance – an experience they continue to share and celebrate every school drop-off and pick-up, as the results of their efforts grow over time.
Just a single tree planted in a school provides a source of empowerment for young people – planting and caring for it represents taking action for themselves, their community and the environment. It’s the start of long-lasting change.
Thank you for supporting The Tree Council this week, whether that is by donating or sharing our campaign. By supporting Orchards & Hedgerows for Schools, you’re helping spread the magic of school trees.
Earth Raise is a seven-day online match funding campaign dedicated to helping charities playing a vital role in tackling pressing environmental issues.
It’s a simple idea – when the public donates to a charity through a Big Give campaign, Big Give matches that donation. So £5 / £10 / £25 from a member of the public becomes £10 / £20 / £50 for a good cause. Find out more here, or click below to donate.
Our Earth Raise goal
We want to raise £20,000 for our Orchards and Hedgerows for Schools programme, giving 60 schools across the UK the chance to plant and care for fruiting trees and hedges in their school grounds. Young people aged 3-18 will have the opportunity to participate in greening their school grounds while growing free, healthy fruit for their community.
Another 20,040 pupils will benefit from exciting training and resources for teachers and students, inspiring them to become a ‘Force for Nature’ in their school and local community – protecting nature, wildlife and our planet’s future for generations to come.
How to donate
Between midday on Wednesday 22 April (Earth Day) and midday on Wednesday 29 April all funds donated to our Big Give campaign up to £10,000 will be matched £ for £ by the Garfield Weston Foundation. We would love your help in achieving our £20,000 goal!
All you need to do is visit our campaign page while the campaign is live, click on the ‘Donate’ button and proceed through the donation form with your card details on hand.
The Tree Council is a small but mighty charity; we are confident that with the help of our partners and supporters, we can meet our £20,000 target and be ready to plant thousands of fruiting trees and hedgerows in schools across the UK next planting season!
Bookmark treecouncil.org.uk/earth-raise and set an alarm for 12:00 on Wednesday 22 April.
