Third year of renovations at Braithwaite Park gets underway

March 17, 2010 - PRLog -- On Saturday 27 March, the charity Trees for Cities in partnership with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets will be returning to Braithwaite Park, E14, for another year of tree and shrub plantings.

Braithwaite Park, on the corner of Abbott Road and Blair Street, near the Blackwall Tunnel Approach, was created when the Braithwaite House tower block was demolished.

Since the beginning of this project the park has undergone a transformation as part of a wider council-led scheme, from a plain triangle of grass to an invaluable community space filled with trees and attractive areas where children can play and adults can relax.

In 2008, the project’s first year, Trees for Cities and Tower Hamlets Council planted new trees and created large new mixed shrub and perennial borders around the perimeter of the park.

In year two, the charity and council teamed up again to run a series of events to involve local residents and young people in the design of a new natural play features along with further tree planting and landscaping.

This year’s work follows the redesign of the park and installation of paths and natural play equipment by Tower Hamlets Council, with funds raised from the London Marathon Charitable Trust, London Thames Gateway Development Corporation and Poplar Harca.

Trees for Cities will be working with local schools, residents and volunteers to plant ten semi-mature trees and over one thousand shrubs to continue the improvements to this vital local space.

Trees for Cities is working in partnership with the Tower Hamlets Council. The project is supported by the Forestry Commission’s London Tree and Woodland Grant Scheme, which is delivered by Groundwork, and Bloomberg, the City Bridge Trust and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

The project is part of Trees for Cities’ mission to improve urban spaces by increasing the number of plants and trees and bringing local communities together to learn how look after their trees and benefit from them. The charity has planted more than 140,000 trees worldwide on streets and in parks, local woodlands and community projects.


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Time for photocall: 12pm
Location: Braithwaite Park, E14 (Corner of Abbott Road and Blair Street)


For further information, contact Stephen Gray, stephen.gray@treesforcities.org, 020 7820 4428


Notes to Editors

Trees for Cities is an independent charity which plants trees and landscapes public spaces in urban areas. The charity’s vision is to stimulate a greening renaissance in cities around the world that will impact on global warming and beautify the urban landscape, as well as encouraging greater social cohesion through the active participation of local people. A special effort is made to involve children and young people in all of the projects. The public can get involved by sponsoring trees, registering as a volunteer, enrolling in training programmes, taking part in the annual Tree-Athlon and going to fundraising parties – see www.treesforcities.org for more information.

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An independent charity which plants trees and landscapes public spaces in urban areas, to impact on global warming and beautify the urban landscape, encouraging greater social cohesion through the active participation of local people.