Success Stories

Since we founded the project in 2011, we are proud of the achievements of our community and are honoured to have been recognised for our contributions to young people, the environment and the community we live in and serve.

In 2012, we were the first recipients of CPRE Hampshire’s ‘Most Inspirational’ Award
In 2012 Hampshire Garden’s Trust presented each of our schools with gardening tools for use in their tree nursery beds
In 2013 CPRE Hampshire presented us with their ‘Young People’s Award’
In 2013 Mayor of Test Valley Cllr Jan Lovell announced the result of the public vote naming the wood – Harmony Woods, suggested by Imogen Jokiel

“Let it be a place for the harmony of nature – all wildlife to be helped and encouraged”

Message written by a member of the public on their voting slip

In 2013 NCS volunteers succeeded in designing and building a woodland shelter
Video: Building the Shelter NCS 2013

In 2013 ATU was invited to the Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots Awards at London Zoo; John Hanson student Alex Dicker received the award for Individual Endeavour
In 2014 Dr Jane Goodall joined us at a Plant-for-the-Planet Academy
In 2014 we were shortlisted for a Guardian/ Observer Ethical Award
In 2014 the community successfully rallied to repair the shelter after vandals demolished it
In 2014 we won the Test Valley in Bloom best Community Environment Project
In 2014 the children organised their own tree planting and planted 80 trees to celebrate Dr Goodall’s 80th birthday
In 2015 we successfully completed our Big Tree Plant of 2500 trees in the community
In 2015 we won the Guardian/ Observer Ethical Award ‘Young Green Champions’
Video: Guardian Observer Ethical Awards Winner 2015

In 2015 we were honoured by a visit from Calixho who had travelled from South America to meet us and talk about our work
In 2016 we were shortlisted by Hampshire CPRE for a Countryside in the Community Award

In 2016 Hampshire Gardens Trust awarded us the Peter Maunder trophy

The trophy is awarded for an outstanding contribution from a person involved in school gardening. Sue Stuart said this in her role as Chair of Education Committee:

“This year we award it to Andover Trees United Trustees and all the local schools for their continued work in developing Harmony Wood. Their commitment to raising awareness of the outdoor environment is reflected in varied and imaginative learning opportunities in the woodland. The achievements for creating the wood through projects that involved parents, the community and, most importantly, the children are inspirational.”

In 2016 Tim won the Volunteer of the Year Award
In 2016 we celebrated the Queens 90th birthday and our own 5-year anniversary
Video: Five Years On 2011 – 2016

In 2017 we took on 2 more sites: a community allotment to serve as a tree nursery bed and a small piece of Woodland Trust hazel woodland for volunteer training
In 2017 thanks to Ecover’s Ethical Awards prize money, a generous grant from Postcode Lottery and the help of Taylor Wimpey, work finally began on a volunteer base and study room – The Cabin
In 2018 our amazing lead partner schools were invited to London to the Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots annual awards:
Andover C of E, Appleshaw, Harrow Way, Portway Juniors and Rookwood.
The students from Harrow Way won the prize for Group Most Connected to Nature