Tuesday 21 August 2018

Conkers and the community


A couple of years ago I spotted a story about the demise of the humble horse chestnut tree so I wrote a blog about it. What I didn't know was this was going to be the start of an amazing story.
I've included the link to the original story :-

https://jeremysnewsthoughts.blogspot.com/2016/10/bonkers-its-end-of-conkers.html?m=1

So I wrote that and a few people read it, around a year later I was chatting to another Councillor prior to a meeting. During this conversation with Richard Kingstone I explained the situation of the reduction in Conker trees, Richard then used this to create a press release connected with the work he does in Wigginton Park.
And this is where the miraculous happened.

At the start of the month I was taking part in a litter pick with Dosthill Park Wildlife Group when I spoke to Mr and Mrs Moseley who were sitting on a bench over looking the river. Mr and Mrs Moseley had seen the article that Richard Kingstone had got in the Tamworth herald about conkers. The two of them had not only read the article but taken it upon themselves to plant and grow 10 conker trees AND they would like to give them to me and Richard to plant and support the growth on the conker tree.

So having spent the weekend in my care they have now been passed to Richard for planting in Wiggington Park.


So a big thank you to Mr and Mrs Moseley for growing these trees!!!

I have to comment on the whole series of events, 2 councillors having a chat and generating a tiny bit of interest sparked a year long project by two members of the community who we didn't know and now we have 10 new conker trees in Tamworth.

So linkages between 2 members of the public, the use of social media, printed press, public open space and the community groups looking after them all coming together with no intention as such and doing something small yet mighty.

It's just amazing how communities work when we have a mutual goal.


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