Funding for 2,546 trees and shrubs has been secured from NHS Western Cheshire, The Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods project and The Big Tree Plant (thanks to The Mersey Forest). This is a great boost to the proposal to create a new Country Park for Chester, adjacent to the Countess of Chester Health Park, and provides the opportunity for the community to take part in the first of what we hope will become a host of outdoor events and activities.
This week, The Conservation Volunteers led the first Green Gym taster sessions in partnership with landowners Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Western Cheshire, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the Homes And Communities Agency, plus Cheshire West and Chester Council, the Chester Area Partnership Board and Groundwork Cheshire.
Upton Councillors, Hilarie McNae and Jill Houlbrook, said: “We wholeheartedly support this project which has great potential to provide far reaching benefits and positive activities, such as the Green Gym. There is a huge amount of goodwill associated with this project, from the project partners and landowners to local residents and the people Chester, as demonstrated by the wonderful response to the recent consultation.”
There are still plenty of trees to plant, so everyone is invited to participate in a Community Planting Day from 11am to 3pm, on Saturday 3 December. Come and join us for The Big Tree Plant, become a nature detectives, and help us celebrate National Tree Week in style.
John Church, Chairman of NHS Western Cheshire, said: “This is an excellent project and each of the three NHS Trusts at the Countess of Chester Health Park are very supportive partners. It is also wonderful to be part of the national NHS Forest campaign which aims plant a tree for every member of NHS staff in the UK. Working together with the NHS trusts and the local community we are well on our way to planting around 4,500 trees which would represent our staff at the health park and help enhance the park.”