Easington community project to receive Sycamore Gap sapling

A community project in Easington will be among the first to receive a sapling from the felled tree at Sycamore Gap.

Tina's Haven, an arts and nature based programme based in Easington which supports women’s recovery from addiction and trauma.

It will receive the sapling as part of the National Trust's Trees of Hope Initiative, which will see 49 saplings distributed across the country to reflect the 49ft height of the tree.

The sapling will be planted at Tina's Haven's 84-acre site overlooking the North Sea. The National Trust will also be planting over 20,000 trees at the site.

Dr Sue Robson founded the programme in memory of her daughter Tina, who died in July 2020 having struggled with addiction for much of her adult life.

She said: “Some say that connection is the opposite of addiction. In Tina’s Haven, women find self-empowerment, solidarity with other women, increased well-being and a strong sense of spirituality from being immersed in nature; effectively connecting women’s recovery to the recovery of the land.

“The naming and development of Tina’s Haven by the National Trust as a natural space forreflection and recovery, positioned magnificently on the East Durham Coast, will help usengage the communities who live and work here, spreading our message of hope acrossand beyond the addiction recovery community.

“The addition of one of the sycamore gap trees is a highly significant symbol of hope for East Durham. It symbolises that even after being subject to the worst adversity and acts violence, there can be recovery, healing, and new beginnings; and hope can grow inabundance.”

One of the saplings will go to Henshaw Church of England Primary School, which is closest to Sycamore Gap, as well as all 15 UK national parks. Another will be planted in south Bristol to celebrate the life of a young boy, Fergus, who died of bone cancer at just 12 years old.

After the felling of the tree in September 2023, seeds were collected from the site and sent to the National Trust's Plant Conservation Centre in Devon.

Once there, the team was able to propagate more than 100 seedlings and grafted nine other saplings.

Andrew Poad, general manager for the National Trust’s Hadrian’s Wall properties, said: “The last 12 months have been a real rollercoaster of emotions, from the hopelessness and grief we felt when we discovered that the tree had been illegally felled, to experiencing the stories shared with us about just what the tree meant to so many.”

“In announcing our Trees of Hope initiative today, we aim to find new homes in community settings across the UK so people can have the opportunity to engage with the Sycamore Gap tree and its legacy so that more people everywhere can feel that they are part of this story – that they are a part of this tree’s wonderful legacy, helping to create a new chapter in the life of this legendary tree.”

Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust said: “The response to the illegalfelling of the Sycamore Gap tree really shone a light on the importance of nature in our both our daily lives and as part of our cultural heritage as a nation.

“We’ve received so many stories and letters about people’s connections with the tree – from marriage proposals under its branches, to fond holiday memories, and poignant reminders of family and friends.  So, it was really important to us that we’d made sure the tree had a lasting and positive legacy.

“Today we’re inviting people and communities all around the UK to apply for one of the new saplings grown from this much-loved sycamore. By doing this, we hope to share aremarkable piece of living history with many more people, and help bring more nature totowns and cities for generations to come.”

Applications to receive a sapling as part of the Trees of Hope project will be open until midnight on 25 October.

Successful locations will be notified by 18 November, with the 49 recipients notified during National Tree Week 2024.

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