Team work makes the green work in Colne

Team work, masterminded by Colne Youth Action Group, saw 15 trees planted along Byron Road at Park Primary’s Playing Field.
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The idea was the brainchild of Lee Duerden, whose company, XLCR, has a carbon offset fund for its fleet vehicles. XLCR not only funded the trees, but a team from the firm helped plant them too.

Sarah Cockburn-Price, CYAG’s chairman of trustees, said: “This is such a transformation. We are thrilled with the impact these Cherries, Whitebeam and Hawthorne have. They will look stupendous in the spring, covered in blossom."

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Pendle Council’s Environment Officer, Lee Johnson, supervised and briefed the volunteers who planted and staked the sizeable trees, as well as providing the tools. The tree supplier, Barcham Trees, very generously gave an enormous discount to the youth charity.

Fire and rescue personnel who helped with the tree plantingFire and rescue personnel who helped with the tree planting
Fire and rescue personnel who helped with the tree planting

CYAG has been attempting to gain a lease on the mothballed, Lancashire County Council owned building on Byron Road as a base for its activities. It is hoped that detailed negotiations can begin soon.

Sarah Midgley, headteacher of Park Primary, whose pupils use the field, worked hard to persuade Lancashire County Council that the trees would be beneficial for her pupils and the wider area.

As well as volunteers from XLCR, the CYAG Horticulture Group, young people referred from Margaret Foxley’s CYAG Restorative Justice Programme, the Mayor and Mayoress of Pendle, County Coun. Ash Sutcliffe, the police, members of the public and Colne’s Fire Brigade all helped out. The Fire Brigade performed the vital job of watering the trees.

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“Many thanks to all the volunteers and young people who battled with the spades, entrenching tools, stones and bricks, with the saws and hammers and with the fearsome bashing tool - and on such a hot day too” added Sarah.

“We aren’t going to stop there. We have asked for a quote for a 16 tree community orchard and we have applied to the Woodland Trust for a 420 sapling hedge providing year round colour on this site.”