A year of growth
Tree Aid's top ten highlights of 2019
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From new projects launched, to making headlines, to helping break a tree planting world record – 2019 really has been a great year for Tree Aid. Check out our top ten picks of the year…
Zoe Wanamaker presents a BBC Radio 4 appeal on TREE AID’s behalf
Tree Aid got the year off to an amazing start when we were chosen to feature on BBC Radio 4 in January. Our patron of over 20 years, actor Zoë Wanamaker, told listeners the story of Petra; a mother whose family lived in poverty for years before joining a Tree Aid project. Through this radio appeal, we raised an incredible total of over £20,000!
Launching new projects
2019 was a great year for Tree Aid projects. We launched several new projects including the scale-up of our Forest Governance work in Burkina Faso, new projects in Park W National Reserve in Niger and along Ethiopia’s Meki River and the Ghana Rural Agricultural and Cashew Enterprise project.
She Grows appeal success funds a new project in Mali
April marked the launch of our three-month She Grows appeal in which all public donations were matched by the UK government through UK Aid Match. Thanks to generous donations from supporters and match funding from the UK government, the appeal raised an impressive total of £638,091!
With this support, we can now fund a three-year project in Mali, starting in January 2020. The project will support one thousand women with the tools and training they need to save and replant their local forest, and earn a sustainable living from trees.
Painting for the planet on World Environment Day
On World Environment Day 2019, Tree Aid took over Bristol’s iconic College Green with the help of Professor Alice Roberts and 300 members of the public, to spread the word that now is the TIME to act, to re-green the planet and slow down the effects of climate change.
As a passionate environmentalist, Professor Alice Roberts talked about why now is the time to act. “I think climate change is perhaps the biggest challenge that is facing humanity this century… sometimes these huge challenges can just feel too vast to grasp but it’s all about making a global impact by acting locally.”
Making the headlines
This year, our solution to deforestation and the effects of climate change made the news! Not only was our work featured on ITV News as part of their special climate news bulletin, Earth on the Edge, but it was also featured in two double page spreads in the Daily Mirror.
Both reports focused on Ghana – a country where land degradation and climate change are having devastating impacts for people living in poverty. Our work supporting communities to build resilience to climate change and contributing to the building of a Great Green Wall presented a solution that works.
The Great Green Wall film
As a contributor to the Great Green Wall – an epic 8,000km natural wonder stretching across the entire width of Africa – we were very proud to see the Great Green Wall film premiere at Venice Film Festival.
The documentary – made in partnership with the UNCCD and fronted by Malian singer and activist, Inna Modja – highlighted how the building of this new world wonder could transform the lives of millions living on the frontline of climate change.
Breaking a tree planting world record
Monday 29 July was an important day for tree planting in Ethiopia. Over 350 million trees were planted across the country in just one day – including on Tree Aid projects – in what is believed to be a new world record. We were proud to play a part in this, with 1,000 local people planting over 26,000 trees in the Dododota Dembal Kebele.
Tree Aid staff graduate from the Marshal Papworth scholarship
In 2019, we secured support from the Marshal Papworth fund for five students – three Tree Aid employees and two staff members from long-term development partners of Tree Aid. In August, all of our students graduated from the agricultural and horticultural scholarship with flying colours!
Chair of Trustees, Shireen Chambers, awarded an MBE
Tree Aid Chair, Shireen Chambers was awarded an MBE in recognition of the positive contribution she has made to forestry, including her work with Tree Aid as our committed Chair of Trustees since 2017.
Running to change lives
This year, we were very fortunate to have been supported by many incredible fundraisers including our amazing team Tree Aid runners who took part in the Bath Half Marathon, Bristol 10K, Royal Parks Half Marathon and even the London Marathon!
We are so grateful to all our dedicated runners and the amazing people who donated to their fundraising efforts.
