Enrych Celebrates 40th Anniversary by Planting 40 Trees with the National Forest

Enrych, a Leicestershire based disability charity, has marked its 40th anniversary by planting 40 trees in partnership with the National Forest. The Enrych community planted a diverse range of native species including oak, hazel, hornbeam, wild cherry and field maple. Each sapling was 2 years old and will form a collection of 200 trees at Western Avenue Recreation Ground in Coalville.

The National Forest invited Enrych to help celebrate this milestone in recognition of the charity’s four decades of empowering disabled adults to live active, social and independent lives. Enrych supports approximately 300 adults each year through personalised assistance, wellbeing activities, and employability support. For Enrych, the event served as a powerful symbol of its 40 year journey. Each tree represents a year of supporting disabled adults to build confidence, find friendship, access new opportunities and thrive within their communities.

Lilly Clements, Business Development Manager at Enrych, said:“Celebrating our 40th anniversary by planting 40 trees could not be more meaningful. Each tree represents growth, resilience and the thousands of people Enrych has supported over the years. One of our clients helping to plant trees today shared that it really meant something to him to contribute, and that comment encapsulates everything we want to do at Enrych.”

The planting is part of the National Forest’s long-term commitment to creating greener, healthier and more resilient towns. By increasing tree cover in urban areas, the National Forest aims to provide much needed shade as summers become hotter, improve biodiversity by introducing a richer variety of habitats, and create green corridors that allow wildlife to move safely between sites. A key focus of the programme is strengthening community ownership of green spaces, helping reduce vandalism and antisocial behaviour, and encouraging residents to use and care for the nature on their doorstep.

A spokesperson for the National Forest said:“We really need communities to look after these spaces and feel empowered to care for them. We want people to see these trees as their own because when communities take pride in their green spaces, it helps tackle vandalism and antisocial behaviour. It also encourages groups like Enrych to spend more time in nature and enjoy these wonderful places.”

This collaboration highlights the shared commitment of Enrych and the National Forest to wellbeing and inclusion. If your organisation is interested in partnering or collaborating with Enrych to strengthen communities and create meaningful impact, we’d love to hear from you, please get in touch lilly.clements@enrych.org.uk