Putting down roots! Families in Babergh and Mid Suffolk thrilled with councils' tree gift

The deadline has closed for the Tree for Life scheme, and many families in Babergh and Mid Suffolk are delighted with their gift. 

The district councils have been gifting trees to those in the districts who welcomed a new arrival in the year 2021. They previously ran the scheme in 2020. 

“It's a really special scheme, even if you don’t have space in your garden, you can plant it locally and go and visit your tree,” says Sam Evans, who collected her apple tree in September to celebrate the birth of her second child, Harrison, who was born in February 2020. 

“Harrison is such an outdoorsy boy, he loves being outside. He’s always shown a real interest in the garden, in the plants and the trees. It’s lovely to have the tree in our garden, it’s a sentimental thing for the family to have.” 

Sam lives in Babergh with her husband, Allan, and daughter Anabelle, aged four. 

They are keen to use the scheme to teach their children about how to care for the environment. 

“It’s that complete awareness that we adults have,” says Sam. “We’re aware of the benefits, but it's teaching that to the little ones, and having this hands-on experience, it brings it all together.” 

The councils have been running the initiative to boost tree coverage across the districts, and had already given out over a thousand trees by October of last year. 

Councillor Jessica Fleming, Mid Suffolk’s cabinet member for the environment, says: “Through gifting these trees for such a special occasion, we also help families give back to our communities by making sure our environment can be enjoyed by future generations - supporting our commitment to tackle climate change and strengthening our biodiversity.” 

The scheme was also open to those who had welcomed a child through adoption, or who had suffered the loss of a child. 

Councillor Elisabeth Malvisi, who is Babergh’s cabinet member for climate change, biodiversity and sustainable transport, says: “I’m proud that our Tree for Life scheme in Babergh continues to blossom.  

“It provides a unique opportunity to benefit our environment and support county-wide climate ambitions, while also giving families a reason to spend time in the garden planting and nurturing their tree for the years to come.”