Oxfordshire Garden Tree Giveaway 2023

Aim

The Oxfordshire Garden Tree Giveaway will distribute 3000 free trees to over 1000 households, increasing tree cover and engaging communities

The Oxfordshire 2023 Garden Tree Giveaway is a fun, engaging and impactful scheme, distributing free garden trees across the county.  Run through the wonderful network of volunteer community action groups and parish councils in Oxfordshire, and supported by International Tree Foundation, this is the second year of the scheme.  Building on the success of the Giveaway in 2022, we are fundraising to expand the project in 2023 to reach more parts of the county, focussing on deprived areas where tree cover is lowest.  We will distribute 3000 trees to over 1000 households in Oxfordshire and also trial the project in Buckinghamshire to develop a model that can be adapted elsewhere in the country.

How does it work? People can choose up to 3 trees from a selection of 18 species suitable for gardens – we’ve developed an online 'Garden Tree Guide’ to help them decide.  20 local distributors have been recruited from across the county and with support from parish councils and local businesses they will arrange collection days in November and December when people receive their trees, protectors and tree guides.   

The Garden Tree Giveaway has so many positive impacts on nature and communities alike.  The distributors meet hundreds of people in their local area who are wanting to find out more about trees and nature and are able to support those individuals and the aims of the scheme.  Each action in itself is small, but collectively the scheme increases tree cover in Oxfordshire and the benefits that go with that (habitat for nature; carbon storage; shade and cooling; health and wellbeing).  A happy customer last year said: ‘’I think what you’re doing is marvellous, we all need to plant more trees’’

The Garden Tree Giveaway is a very cost- effective project and engages a huge number of people (well over 1000 households are expected to receive a tree and many additional people will be involved in the advertising and distribution).  The bulk of the budget will be spent on buying trees plus canes and spirals to protect against rabbits.  The project is volunteer led but due to the work load involved, factors in some money for organiser’s time plus transport for delivering the trees across the county. There is a budget for printing tree guides and postcards.

We’re so grateful for your support.  Thank you!!

This project successfully funded on 26th June 2023