Volunteers plant hedges and trees at village green

HUNDREDS of bushes and eight trees have been planted at Whitchurch’s new village green.

A team of 18 volunteers, made up of villagers, parish councillors and wildlife experts, helped spruce up the former cricket field off Eastfield Lane.

The green used to be privately owned and was taken over by Whitchurch Parish Council a year ago. The volunteers planted 270 bushes, including a hedgerow of buckthorn, dogwood and hawthorn and another made up of holly.

They also planted two beech trees, two whitebeams, three bird cherries and a birch.

The project was co-ordinated by the parish council, which posted flyers through residents’ doors asking for help. It also took advice from Whitchurch Habitat Study Group, whose treasurer Sally Woolhouse helped volunteers on the day.

Once builders have finished putting up a fence and gate around the car park, the council will again call for volunteers to finish the holly hedge and plant more trees. Council chairman Harry Butterworth, who took part in the planting, said: “It’s a beautiful spot and looks absolutely lovely on a Sunday afternoon.

“We haven’t got a focal point in the village and we risk becoming just a collection of houses where no one knows their neighbours, so things like this are important in making people feel like they’re part of a community.”