Acorn to oaks... Help to plant 100 trees

Monday 31 August 2020

Acorn is urging islanders to make the most of their £100 vouchers by joining a bid to plant at least 100 oak trees.

With the approach of their annual Hedgerow Campaign, Jersey Trees for Life are collaborating with Acorn to offer residents a free acorn-planting kit when they use their government-issued Spend Local voucher at the Acorn Reuse Centre.

The Government expects the £100 vouchers — due to be distributed next month — to boost the island’s economy after the negative impact of the pandemic.

The partnership between Acorn and Jersey Trees for Life aims to ensure the environment gets to benefit too.

Pictured: Jersey Trees for Life Hedgerow Campaign will celebrate its 13th year this November

The idea is for people to use their free planting kit at home after spending their voucher at the Acorn Reuse Centre in Trinity. Then, they’re to look after it until Spring when the two charities will announce how people can return their saplings so they can be taken into the care of Jersey Trees for Life.

The Reuse Centre specialises in repairing and up-cycling goods. As usual, its profits will go towards providing work and training for people who have a disability or long-term health condition. However, those who chose to spend their vouchers with them will also be helping in the effort to increase the island’s tree-count by at least 100 extra oaks. 

This fits in with Jersey Trees for Life's aim to reconnect living corridors for the benefit of the island’s biodiversity, as well as providing food and safe passages for wildlife.

The charity's Senior Community Fundraiser Beverley Dallas-Chapman said: “We are thrilled to be working with Acorn Enterprises on this initiative. We are hoping that people will use some or all of their vouchers to purchase items from Acorn Reuse to help the Hedgerow Campaign which starts again in November.” 

Acorn’s general manager, Steve Pearce, added that he was pleased to “offer something back to our loyal customers, who have been so great in coming back to us after 15 weeks’ closure. We have lived through unprecedented times and we could do with the boost that the Government is hoping for.”

He said: “Buying here is great for the environment, as we are reusing goods that might otherwise have been thrown away. We also know that our service is particularly valuable at this time to people whose incomes have been affected by the pandemic. Your money really will go further at Acorn – and you can grow an oak for future generations as well.”

More information can be found at Jersey Trees for Life and Acorn Enterprises.