On Friday 28th November, we visited Hetton Lyons Country Park, one of our project greenspaces, following an invite to see Veterans In Crisis Sunderland plant their 'Tree of Hope' during National Tree Week. Many other local organisations turned out to watch community come together for a good cause.
The Trees of Hope initiative was set up in September 2024 by the National Trust. The Trees of Hope are saplings that were grown from Sycamore Gap tree which was illegally felled a year prior. Veterans in Crisis Sunderland were one of 49 recipients, from nearly 500 applications. All Trees of Hope have been planted in publicly accessible spaces, allowing more people to connect with the Sycamore Gap as it enters its next chapter, whilst providing a message of hope to those in the community.
Veterans in Crisis Sunderland chose to plant their sapling at Hetton Lyons Country Park. Ger Fowler, the Founder and CEO of the charity, explained that the location was chosen as they do weekly five-mile walks at the site each Friday. The Tree of Hope was planted by Ger Fowler and Councillor Lindsey Leonard, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Net Zero at Sunderland City Council. The sapling was then dedicated to late Veterans in Crisis Sunderland service user Isaac 'Ike' Curran. The walking group can now pay their respects when they visit the tree on their weekly walks.
