Holt Copse Conservation Group Volunteers were recently successful in securing funding from Newbury Building Society's Community Support Scheme to plant a group of Silver Birch trees in Joel Park as a replacement for when the current trees expire.
Charlotte Hall and Justine Ransom, Senior Managers of the Wokingham Branch of Newbury Building Society, then joined the Holt Copse Volunteers and the Mayor of Wokingham for a ceremonial planting in celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year.
Holt Copse Group Volunteers manage the semi-ancient woodland in Wokingham of the same name. They aim to manage the wood in traditional ways for the benefit of local people and wildlife. Activities they undertake include coppicing and scrub clearance, tree planting, installing bird nesting boxes, and maintaining paths. The group has members of all ages and abilities, and also welcomes many local school children who undertake volunteering work as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Mike Saynor from the Holt Copse Conservation Group was delighted with the outcome of the project: "We, Holt Copse Conservation Volunteers, and Wokingham Town Council are very grateful to the Newbury Building Society for their support with this project to plant a grove of silver birch treees in Joel Park in the Platinum Jubilee year of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The project is a perfect example of community co-operation at its best wiht a commercial organisation, local government, and a voluntary organisation all working together for the public good."
Charlotte Hall and Justine Ransom from the Society mentioned: "On behalf of Newbury Building Society, we are delighted to have been able to help Mike and the rest of the Holt Copse Group Volunteeres with the purchase and planting of these fabulous trees marking Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee."
As a mutual organisation, we believe that giving back to our members and the local communities surrounding our branches is really important. One of the ways we do this is through our Community Support Scheme, and our new Green Community Support Scheme. If you'd like to apply for funding via one of these schemes, visit our webpage.
