Final Year of Schools Tree Planting Begins at Bury Hill Meadows, Andover

22 local primary schools, 2 secondary schools, Andover College and 11 businesses join community effort to grow a woodland for the future

Andover, Hampshire - Andover Trees United, a volunteer-led group and registered charity, is proud to announce the start of its final year of schools tree planting at Bury Hill Meadows, beginning on Monday 10 November and running for three full weeks, Monday to Friday each week.

Over the course of the planting programme, every primary school in Andover, alongside two secondary schools and Andover College, will take part. Supported by volunteers and staff from 11 local businesses, children will help plant the final trees that will complete this new community woodland. Each morning and afternoon a year group arrives, gloves on, ready for a short planting demonstration; then the children plant two trees each. A well-earned drink and biscuit completes the session before the next group arrives.

This programme builds on the success of Harmony Woods, the charity’s first 12-acre community woodland, planted between 2012 and 2022, led and carried out by local schoolchildren and volunteers. With Harmony Woods now fully planted, Bury Hill Meadows became the next chapter in Andover Trees United’s commitment to restoring habitats and creating spaces for people and wildlife. The charity will be announcing new planting sites in 2026, continuing its mission across Andover.

“This planting is about so much more than trees,” said Abbey Sadler, Community Engagement Officer of Andover Trees United. “It’s about young people taking part in something lasting, something rooted in place. Every child who plants here knows that they have shaped the landscape and they can return in years to say: ‘I helped grow this.’”

The funds, the volunteering and the planting all underline how local action builds habitats, community, knowledge and hope. The programme also supports nature recovery, improves biodiversity and offers practical ways for the community to care for its local environment.

Andover Trees United invites families, friends, and neighbours to join the Community Tree Planting Day at Bury Hill Meadows on Saturday 22nd November. This event is part of the final year of planting at Bury Hill, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to make a positive impact on your local environment. Participants will help plant native trees, learn about conservation, and enjoy the outdoors alongside your community. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or a complete beginner, everyone is welcome.

For more information and to register your interest in volunteering during the planting weeks or attend the community day, please contact Abbey Sadler, Community Engagement Officer. 

(abbey.sadler@andovertrees.org.uk) or visit https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/