Look up occasionally and you’ll see massive urban trees towering above. These giants have been around for many, many decades, and most will carry on for many more. It’s why trees are such a beautiful way to remember a loved one, and why Deryck chose to sponsor his tree in memory of his wife.
Planting a tree for memories past…
Deryck has lived in his area of Bedford for 40 years, around 13 of which were happily spent with his wife, Dorothy. When she passed, he wanted a way to honour her memory and their 27 years together. He reached out to Bedford Council, and bought a local tree, and found so much solace in it that 10 years later, he did the same again. And last year, with the Trees for Streets sponsorship scheme, he was able to sponsor another tree to mark the 20th anniversary of her passing.
“Walking past Dorothy’s trees offers me the opportunity to spend a moment remembering special and happy times.”
…and present
This newly sponsored acer is in a green space at the top of his road, a little haven for his grandkids and other children to enjoy nature within calling distance to their homes. The wind going up this road is very strong, and as a result all the trees have grown at an angle, giving them a lot of character and sparking the children’s imagination during playtime. This sponsored tree has been secured well to help it establish – but nature has its own plans sometimes and the grandkids are excited to see how this new tree will develop!
A simple way to get trees in the ground
When we visited Deryck, he said he was impressed with how quickly the tree was planted. Tree requests put in before December are in the ground that winter!
We asked Deryck what he’d say to someone considering sponsoring a tree: “It is a wonderful way to remember someone, or to mark a special occasion. There is the added advantage that it helps care for our local area, and in a very small way, for the planet too!”
Whether to remember someone, or just to make a lasting impact, if you’re interested in sponsoring a tree, click here to find out where our scheme currently operates.
