More than 200 companies have supported an appeal to raise £40,000 so an “urban forest” of more than 1,000 trees can be planted next to the A38 in Plymouth.
Companies from international giants to small traders have given cash towards a Crowdfunder campaign, smashing the target with five days to go.
It means a “forest” of silver birch trees and a “dry river bed” of boulders, with grasses and flowers too, will be created at the Marsh Mills roundabout, a key gateway junction from the main A38 artery through the West Country.
The idea came from the Road to Mayflower team of businesses and organisations, mostly in the construction industries, which wanted to create a lasting legacy for the city to mark the Mayflower 400 commemorations, in 2020, four centuries after the Pilgrim Fathers’ voyage to America.
Pedigree companies such as Plessey Semiconductors, Plymouth Citybus, Biovault Technical. Drew and Co Ltd, Balfour Beatty, Brunel Recycling, Bruton Knowles, BAM Construction, and dozens more, already contributed cash – as did individuals.
By September 17, the amount raised was £40,718, with more coming in. Work could now start on the forest this year.
Emma Hewitt, skills co-ordinator at Building Plymouth, which has been leading the project, said: “We are absolutely delighted by the momentum, reach and success of our campaign – we have raised this cash thanks to the generosity of over 200 supporters.
“The local business community have been instrumental in enabling us to achieve our challenging target so a huge thank you to everyone who pledged support and helped to promote our project.
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“It has also been overwhelming to see the amount of interest from local people who want to support this legacy project – my mum even raised over £600 by promoting to neighbours and friends, amazing.
“Every pound counted here and it is truly exciting to think our idea has evolved into a city wide backed community project.”
A design team led by volunteers from firms including AECOM, AWW and YGS Landscapes, and the Plymouth City Council-led Building Plymouth partnership, has been working on a plan to remove brambles and dead and diseased trees around the A38 flyover and plant a range of young and mature silver birth and Himalayan birch.
Healthy birch and oak trees already on the roundabout will be kept, and a wild-flower meadow and grassland will be sown to produce colour for several months of the year, and a habitat for animals and insects.
Plus, an “artistic dry riverbed”, created from enormous boulders, will wind its way underneath the elevated carriageways.
Already Plymouth property firm Burrington Estates has stepped up to provide 300 tonnes of Dartmoor granite boulders for the project, with will be transported in by haulage firm JBH at a discounted rate.
YGS Landscapes has already committed to maintain the forest for two years – for free – after it is built.
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Adam King, associate director of AECOM, said: “AECOM, as the lead designer for this project, are delighted that crowd-funding has reached the target. This incredible achievement from the local community and businesses reinforces the commitment to our amazing city and this green infrastructure scheme.
“The pledges will now take the project one step further to reality. In liaison with Plymouth City Council and Highways England, our next steps will be the clearance of the scrub and self-seeded vegetation on the Marsh Mills roundabout, along with the installation of the dry river bed feature under the existing flyover.
“These works are planned to take place this autumn. Following this initial phase, there will be a significant amount of preparation work, which will need to take place over the winter.
“We are planning to undertake the first phases of the planting early in 2020, which will develop into the Mayflower Forest, a lasting legacy for Plymouth and an elegant, visually stimulating and environmentally sustainable gateway to our city.”
Every firm and person who supported the Mayflower Forest project
Companies and organisations:
#GEMSTOCK, Achievement Training, Acronyms Ltd, Actuate Marketing, ADG, AECOM, A Home After Halls Ltd, AJ Architects, Al’s Catering Ltd, Alpha Logic, Arcadis, Ashfords, Aussie Environmental, AWW, Balfour Beatty, BAM Construction LTD, Bailey Partnership, Biovault Technical LTD, Bottle Buddi, Brady Construction Services, BRL Architects, Brothwell Irvine Ltd, Brunel Recycling, Bruton Knowles, Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, Charles Stanley Wealth Managers, Citizens Advice Plymouth, City College Plymouth, CMOStores.com, Core Blue, Crovin LTD, Cutec Ltd, Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, Drew & Co, Eco Environmental, Engage Workplace, EP Langage Ltd, Evalesco Consulting, Foot Anstey, GA Solicitors, Gilpin Demolition, Goodmans Financial Planning, Gordano Holdings LTD, Gorrel Equipment Solutions, Greenlight Safety Consultancy Ltd, Guardian Industrial (海角视频) Ltd, Hoare Lea, Hulley & Kirkwood, Ian Williams LTD, Integral Building Services, ITS (Plymouth), Isorad Ltd, Jubb Consulting Engineers, K9 Mobile Security, Kier, KMS Properties Plymouth LTD, KTA Architects, LHC Design, Lignum Design, LTC Group 87, Made with Maturity LTD, Mercury Construction, Milestone, Morgan Sindall, Mount Batten Centre, Nash and Co Solicitors, Nordic Installation, Obedair, Ocean Artists Designers Makers Market, ODILS Learning Foundation, Ocean BMW Plymouth, Paradigm Human Performance LTD, Pavilion Construction LTD, PB Media, PCH –Plymouth Community Homes, PepPer, Plessey Semiconductors LTD, Plymouth College, Plymouth City Bus, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth and Devon Construction Training Group, Plymouth Science Park,- Plymouth Software, Pollard, QDataShred, QSPM, Ravenslade, Redrok, Robert P Barry Ltd, SDS, Sigma Draughting, Sherford Consortium, Sir Fix a Lock LTD, Skills Group, Skipton Building Society, SMAS Worksafe Ltd, Sphere Solutions, SSG Training Group, Sound Composites, South West Women in Construction, South Western Aid, Start Point Finance, STED Interiors LTD, Stephenson Marine Engineering, Stride Treglown, Studio Vine, Sunrise Windows, Survey Dimensions Ltd, Symonds Solicitors, Tamar Telecommunications, Tamar Towing & Caravans, TClarke, Team Smarta, TH March Insurance Brokers, The Building Plymouth Devon and Cornwall Forum, The Focus Training Group, The Una Group, Thomas Westcott Chartered Accountants, Totem Timber, TQR, Trace Design Consultants LTD, Vickery Holman, Vizion Interiors, Westcare Ltd, Westcountry Group, WBM Groundworks Ltd, Whitehead Building Services Ltd, Willmott Dixon, Wolferstans Solicitors, Working for Wildlife, WWA, YGS Landscapes.
Individuals:
Adam Short, Adam Williams, Alison Jane Rashleigh, Andrew Stephenson, Ashley Bell, Ashleigh Jane Rashleigh, Caroline Johnson, Char Smith, Clare Baker, Chris Penberthy, Christopher R Hunt, Collection at Plymouth Albion 7/9/19, Daffne Zamudio, David and Hazel Dobson, David Gadd, Diane O’Leary, Eloise Ellis, Emma Hewitt, Gail Gotham-Dunn, Hannah Howarth, Harrison Abbott, Hugh Duncan, Ian Sanders, Jane Akerman, Jean Ward, Jonathan Haigh, John Norrish, John Leslie Rashleigh, John, Lorraine, Evie and Esme, Judith Harwood, Julie Reay, Jullie Stevens, K Pearce and J Edwards, Kieran Brown, Krystyna Hewitt – Residents of Skylark Rise, Woolwell, Krystyna Hewitt – Aqua Girls at Nuffield Plymouth, Lee Crocker, Lee Richards, Lindsay Alison Hale Ward, Lisa Brammer, Lisa Hayes, Lisa Skinner, Louise Walsh, Mark Cheetham, Mark Plant, Matthew Parkes, Melanie Birwe, Mummy’s Group, Nick Winter, Oliver Del Mar, Olivia Paterson, Penelope Daly, Penny Hele, Peter E Childs, Phil Heffernan, Rebecca Leach-Barry, Rehen Symonds, Richard Smith, Samantha Dawkins, Sarah Miller, Shannon Chambers, Sophie Miles, Stan10; Stanley, Katie, Libby and Eliza –Eco Warriors, Steve Whiteway, Sune, Suzanne Burman, Timothy John Morris, Ulrike Richards, Vanessa Wiercioch, William Kelley.
A £1,600 donation from electrical engineers Drew and Co Ltd pushed the Crowdfunder over the line. Andrew Botterill, from Drew and Co, said: “There is an urgent need for businesses to back environmental schemes and act to reduce nett carbon emissions from our activities.
“This brilliant idea struck a chord with us as a way of contributing to carbon capture in the most simple and natural way, tree planting.
“In addition the scheme forms a wider part of connecting the present day to the history and heritage of the city of Plymouth through the Mayflower 400 commemorations.
“If that wasn`t enough, once complete, the new green gateway to the city will create a much needed positive first impression to anyone visiting.
“We can`t wait to see the finished scheme and will be on hand to provide any further assistance to the build team.”
Stuart Elford, chief executive of Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, which also backed the project, said: “The chamber is delighted that the Mayflower Forest is going to be planted.
“This great legacy project will combine enhancing the arrival experience in this great city with environmental benefits that tackle pollution and provide a space for biodiversity.
The Greek proverb that ‘society grows great when people plant trees under whose shade they will never sit’ is so true and Plymouth can be proud of what it has achieved by working together to enhance our city for this and generations to come.”
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Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
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Everyone who pledged support for this crowdfunding campaign has been recognised can be seen
The campaign is still live and taking pledges until mid-day Wednesday, September 18 and can be seen
To find out more about the Road to Mayflower project, including how to get involved in the project, click