Newbury Friends of the Earth Lockdown Woods team and about 40 local people gathered in Goldwell Park on Tuesday 14 December for the unveiling of their Advent event as part of Newbury’s Living Advent Calendar.
There were glittering avenues of candles, and an illuminated hazel and willow arch leading into a magical circle where we were serenaded by the A Cappella group ‘Sing the World’ with beautiful nature-themed songs before being invited to join in singing carols with a ‘tree’ theme! Home-made stars painted with UV paint shone in the UV light playing over the area.
Clive Williams, Lockdown Woods project member and one of the team putting together this event, said “We had great fun organising this event, and learning how to weave willow and hazel. The decorated arch will stay in place to be enjoyed into the New Year. After that we can look forward to seeing a carpet of spring bulbs which we planted this autumn.”
Tessa Hall, who runs the A Cappella choir ‘Sing the World’ said “Singing is an important part of the celebrations at this time of year and our group were delighted to share some beautiful nature-themed songs as well as lead everyone in carols with a ‘tree’ theme!
“The Lockdown Woods are especially meaningful for me, I have dedicated a beautiful oak sapling here to my dad who died during the pandemic, and find it very soothing to visit it often on my walks. I look forward to watching it grow over the years.”
Newbury Friends of the Earth started the Lockdown Woods project at beginning of first lockdown in March 2020, when the local group was part of the national Friends of the Earth campaign to lobby Local Authorities to plant more trees. We encouraged families to grow their own trees from seedlings found in gardens during lockdown, so we could plant them out in new woodlands in the district, and dedicate the individual trees and the entire woods to the memory of all our losses from the pandemic and to the trust in a brighter future for our communities and all beings.
Goldwell Park is the second of our four woodlands planted between November 2020 and November 2021, the others are Westbrook Down, Hungerford, Barn Crescent, Wash Common and Stroud Green, Newbury.
For more details please contact Dr Susan Millington on [email protected], 07958 574524 or the Lockdown Wood Facebook group.
