I have been a BTF Tree Champion since 2011 in the days of the Neighbourhood Partnerships (NP). What prompted my interest in working with the Council on Street Trees was when I moved into my current house in March 2006 only to watch the penultimate street tree in my road being felled. I first saw “my street” in January 1973, and it was a magnificent Avenue of weeping Silver Birch. That day only one was left (the one outside my house!). Enquiries of Tree officers revealed a 17-year waiting list for stump replacement. I was successful in getting a grant from the NP and the road was replanted in 2009. By then I had contact details for Tree Officers at BCC and was thus uniquely qualified (everyone else locally took one step back!) to be the Tree Champion for our area, and was co-opted onto the NP. The then Chair of the BTF, Clive Stevens, went round to NPs seeking out anyone who had had anything to do with the trees in their area, and the rest is history.

It can take just one thing to spark interest. I knew nothing about trees other than they are quite lovely and much needed. Since the dissolution of NPs I have remained as Tree Champion for Stoke Bishop.