South Shields community group do their bit to spruce up local parks

An environment-friendly community group were barking up the right tree when they decided to do their bit to spruce up local parks
By Tom Patterson
Published 14th Mar 2019, 11:03 BST
Updated 14th Mar 2019, 12:03 BST
Councillors Susan Traynor, Alex Donaldson and Nancy Maxwell, with Temple Memorial Park volunteer rangers, Pauline Hetherington and Bonita Nesbitt and the Greenspace Team at Temple Memorial Park.Councillors Susan Traynor, Alex Donaldson and Nancy Maxwell, with Temple Memorial Park volunteer rangers, Pauline Hetherington and Bonita Nesbitt and the Greenspace Team at Temple Memorial Park.
Councillors Susan Traynor, Alex Donaldson and Nancy Maxwell, with Temple Memorial Park volunteer rangers, Pauline Hetherington and Bonita Nesbitt and the Greenspace Team at Temple Memorial Park.

More than 200 trees are to be planted at Temple Memorial Park, South Shields - thanks to the town's Friends of West Park group.

The group successfully bid for 420 free trees from the Woodland Trust - and half will be planted in West Park with the remainder donated and planted in the Temple Park grounds.

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The native saplings include a mix of hawthorn, hazel, crab apple, downy birch, holly and goat willow and will help to enhance the existing woodland at Temple Memorial Park.

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Counc Nancy Maxwell, lead member for area management and community safety at South Tyneside Council, said: “Trees are an integral part of the visual landscape not to mention the many benefits they bring to environment, from improving air quality to reducing the risk of flooding.

“These news trees will help to boost the tree population in the wooded areas at Temple Memorial Park while also helping us to create the right conditions for wildlife there to continue to thrive.”

The new trees have been welcomed by the Temple Memorial Park Volunteer Rangers, who dedicate their free time to help look after the area and hold regular community walks and litter picks as well as planting activities.

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Bonita Nesbitt, of the Temple Memorial Park Volunteer Rangers, said: “It’s great news we will have new trees for planting across the area.

“We are keen to help maintain Temple Memorial Park as an open green space for local people to enjoy and are particularly looking forward to working with the local community to help plant the saplings and create new wildlife habitats.

"Our team of enthusiastic Young Rangers are really excited to get involved.”

The Temple Memorial Park Volunteer Rangers were joined by local Cleadon Park councillors and the council’s Greenspace team to discuss potential locations for future planting activities.

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Cleadon Park ward members, Coun Susan Traynor said: “We are very grateful to the Friends of West Park for the trees and are working closely with the Greenspace Team and the community to identify where best to plant them so that they will work well with existing species.

“The Temple Memorial Park Volunteer Rangers are a dedicated group of volunteers and it’s fantastic to have their support with this. They give up their free time to help keep the area clean and tidy so that people can continue to enjoy it for years to come.”