Team members from across three Oakland Care homes have come together to help plant over 400 trees as part of a major community initiative.
The Essex Forest Initiative (EFI) is a county wide tree planting scheme which was launched back in 2019. Aiming to mitigate the effects of climate change by providing and improving green spaces for people and communities, it incorporates a bold commitment to planting 375,000 trees over the course of a five-year period.
As part of their efforts the EFI have been actively seeking the support of the community to help towards achieving their goal. Oakland Care and their team members have been among those key players, having already linked up with the EFI for a range of tree planting events across Essex in January 2023.
Eager to help maintain the momentum of the programme into the new year, team members from Oakland Care’s Lambwood Heights, Elsyng House, Woodland Grove, and head office were delighted to extend their support at the latest planting event at Alderton Junior School in Loughton on 24th November.
As the UK’s ‘greener choice’ of care homes, the volunteers were not only able to offer crucial support with the planting but were able to discuss best practices and share advice for other environmentally friendly steps everybody can take to help combat climate change.
Oakland Care are the only carbon neutral care group in the UK and actively drive a range of inclusive and effective green initiatives within their homes. Much of these efforts have brought team members and residents closer together, driven by a collaborative cause that creates a long-lasting impact in social care and beyond.
Aaron White, Head of Business Services and Sustainability, said: “I am incredibly proud of all our team members across Oakland Care who came together to support this tree planting event. Our efforts will help leave a lasting impact on the area and not only benefit the environment but support a local school at the heart of the community. “It was a perfect way to continue our sustainability journey in 2023 and was another big step towards not only EFI’s planting target, but our own goal of planting 1,000 trees every single year as a care home provider.”
Jaime Carvalho, Forestry and Woodland Officer at Essex Forestry Initiative, added:
“The Essex Forest initiative is a county wide tree planting scheme with the aim of mitigating the effects of climate change. In doing that we also provide and improve green spaces for people and communities.
“This is why planting in schools is so rewarding not only because we are allowing spaces for nature flourish but also for the opportunity to raise awareness and educate younger generations about the importance of trees. Having volunteers, such as parents and corporate groups, like we had today from Oakland Care, really make a difference in improving our environment, little by little, one tree at a time.”
