CitizEn Energy has continued their campaign to ‘green Southampton’. They have offered 100 free English Oak Trees to local schools and community groups.
Since October last year, over 60 trees have been distributed. Amongst those who have benefitted include: Bitterne Manor Primary, Great Oaks School, Bitterne Park School and Sixth Form and residents of Holyrood Estate.
Run by Southampton City Council, Citizen Energy only offer 100% green electricity to their customers. However they wanted to do more to have an even bigger impact on the environment. Southampton’s children, wildlife and the local community by donating these free oak trees.
CitizEn Energy’s tree campaign comes after Southampton City Council launched its Green City Charter last year. This sets out plans for making Southampton a cleaner, greener, healthier and more sustainable city. A series of ambitious goals include being carbon neutral by 2030 and using energy generated from renewable sources.
Councillor Steve Leggett, Cabinet Member for Green City said:
“We’re extremely pleased and encouraged that our free tree campaign has received such a great response.
We’re very happy that we’ve been given the opportunity to work with so many and contribute a little something to make our local community a little greener.Our campaign supports our vision of creating a cleaner, greener, healthier and more sustainable city.
We hope it will also help to educate our children and wider community about the importance of trees.”
The oak saplings come from Solent Mind’s Mayfield Nurseries. They give every penny they make back into helping people with mental health issues at their nursery.
Mike Adams, Headteacher of Bitterne Manor Primary, said:
“We are very pleased to support the tree planting initiative. It is encouraging for the future that our pupils are already passionate and care a great deal for the environment they are growing up in.”
Chris Whitbread, Assistant Headteacher at Bitterne Park School and Sixth Form, said:
“Following on from the redevelopment of the school site over the past 4 years, students have been keen to continue to improve the external areas of the school. We are very lucky to already have a very green site so by adding more trees is a great opportunity to provide an enhanced environment for student, staff and nature.
The new oaks have been planted in an area which was once an overgrown part of the site. In the future these oaks will provide a shaded walk between the main school and Sixth Form.”
