Thriving Ladywell is a group of local residents aiming to plant trees along Embleton Road and Ellerdale Street.
Organising through their streets’ WhatsApp groups, Thriving Ladywell put together a successful bid for NCIL funding by talking to neighbours and drumming up support by distributing a survey to residents.
The group was awarded £5,000 in NCIL funding, enough for six trees, but is now aiming to raise more.
“Our project has greater ambitions,” say Gemma and Philippa who have organised the campaign. “We have a young families and want to ensure our streets have lots of greenery.
“We set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise £3,000 and supporters hit the streets with flyers and information.”
The aim is to improve the environment for the health and wellbeing of all street users and for the general benefit of Ladywell.
In the words of one resident: “Making it greener, more residential, boosting the quality of life for residents and other users of the road”.
Embleton Road ionce boasted 32 trees, but the numbers have fallen dramatically. Some 16 trees were felled within the last eight years leaving just two. There are no trees on Ellerdale Street.
Crowfunding target £3,000 – £1,800 raised so far
Street Trees for Living, an independent charity that works with Lewisham Council to create a public street tree funding scheme, has already scanned the area and provided a list of potential sites.
Using this information, Thriving Ladywell volunteers have been able to discuss with residents preferences for possible sites and trees. Any final decision rests with Lewisham Council.
“We have also recruited a key supporter to the project – a resident expert Horticulturalist who has been helping select the best species of trees to suit the needs of the whole community”, says Gemma..
“It is important for a community project that the trees are suited to the pathways to avoid disruption to pedestrians and that any allergy sufferers or asthmatics on the street are minimally affected.”
So far the crowdfunding campaign (https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/thriving-ladywell) has raised £1,826 from 28 supporters. At £350 per tree, that’s enough for four trees – 10 in total for Embleton Road and Ellerdale Street.
“We are optimistic that we will reach our goal for 12 trees (and the supporting 12 tree guards needed to protect the trees) so any support Ladywell-Live readers can provide would be gratefully received!,” adds Gemma.