Meet our volunteers - Doreen

When did you first get involved with Andover Trees United?

I first started volunteering with ATU in 2017. I saw a Facebook post asking for help with the School Planting Fortnight; I’ve been volunteering ever since.

What sort of work do you do for ATU?

I help set up the weekly workdays and monthly events and usually have other ATU related jobs or activities in between. 

We have two main work sites: Harmony Wood and the allotment. Tasks range from tree planting and maintenance of the wood to raising wildflowers from seed and planting them out in the meadow at Harmony Wood. We also continually aim to improve our own green skills (we practise coppicing skills at Trinley Estate and Jonathan’s Wood) and crafts.

Last year was particularly busy with lots of great opportunities: Kew Gardens Wildflower Project which involved creating a flower bedroom in Andover High Street. The One Ash project also kicked off with lots of tree related activities with local schoolchildren and then the felling of an Ash tree and following its uses by local craftspeople and businesses. There were also lots of schools activities during summer as well as our tree planting fortnight and supporting the UN Plant for the Planet Ambassadors with their annual presentation. 

This year we held a series of Zoom workshops planning for the future of ATU and we are now following up the ideas that were generated through these sessions.

What do you gain from volunteering with Andover Trees United?

I love being outdoors in the company of lovely people. ATU is a very friendly and outward-looking organisation. Creating and maintaining a community woodland makes you feel you can make a difference locally and globally and you meet people who feel the same. Working with the local schools provides the opportunity of making the created woodland sustainable. 

I really enjoy working in nature and Harmony Woods is a wonderful place where you can listen to the Skylarks, watch the Housemartins swooping over the pond and the bees and butterflies on the wildflowers. Also, just having time to think in a quiet space is a real pleasure.

How has volunteering changed since Covid-19?

Since restrictions have been lifted and volunteering has started up again the set-up team has been working on the Covid 19 precautions, protocols and risk assessment to ensure a safe reopening of workdays and community events.  We have been following the measures we have in place and feel we can run a safe site for volunteers.

Volunteering is still fun but we have procedures that everyone must follow. Numbers are limited and volunteers must book in first. We work in bubbles of six to complete tasks across the site. Luckily, Harmony Woods is a perfect place to socially distance. At the moment we are beating–up (the replacement of newly planted trees which have died), weeding and mulching, and creating identity tags for trees. 

What would you say to someone who was considering volunteering?

Drop us an email to register and come along!  Sadly, we can’t offer you a cuppa, but you can bring your own flask and It’ll be nice to see you!

If you would like to get involved please drop an email to volunteers@andovertrees.org.uk