Sheffield street tree fundraising campaign aims to link up rich and poor city suburbs

Sheffield campaigners are raising money to fund street trees, linking up two contrasting suburbs of the city.

City community groups and campaigns have come together to launch a crowdfunding campaign to plant street trees in Burngreave and Bents Green, which are linked by the 88 bus route.

Their aim is to raise £9,100 to plant seven new street trees in each suburb. So far the crowdfunder, run in association with the national organisation Trees for Streets, has raised £2,675. That will pay for four out of the 14 trees.

Organiser Nicola Gilbert said that two trees have already been planted at Bents Green at Christmas, in association with Millhouses, Ecclesall and Carterknowle Community Group (MECK).

Although it is a green area, there is no tree cover at the shops. Nicola said: “When the kids come out from High Storrs and Silverdale schools, it’s such a pathetic sight when it’s baking hot and shelterless.

“They cluster in shop doorways to try to get out of the sun, which annoys the shopkeepers.

“It just seemed right to have a big effort to fund street trees in Bents Green. Then you’ve got the 88 bus sitting there, going to the other side of town, which has a much lower tree equity score.

“Bents Green scores 98, while Burngreave’s score is 48.

“The 88 bus route travels all the way from Bents Green through Pitsmoor and beyond, taking people to the Northern GeneralHospital from across the city, passing through very different areas with very different tree equity scores.

“So, it just seemed right, if we were raising money to plant trees at the very bare and barren Bents Green shopping area, to benefit Pitsmoor as well.”

Mike Hodson from MECK said the first two trees were funded by the council local area committee and a generous donation from Bents Green Methodist Church.

Jenny Tibbles is strategy and fundraising manager of community Green City Action, which is based in Abbeyfield Park in Burngreave.

Their projects and engagement officer Malcolm Camp is looking at possible locations for the Burngreave trees. One idea is to plant the trees near local schools, which could then be linked to educational projects.

Jenny said that the charity tries to connect people to the green spaces around them and to other people in their neighbourhoods.

Their projects include running a community allotment at Grimesthorpe Allotments. People get together to grow food, socialise together and take beautiful produce home to share with their families. Find out more information here.

Jenny said: “Gardening and bringing people together is about improving people’s mental wellbeing, being outside in great spaces, getting to know people, getting that sense of belonging and connection.

“Hopefully that benefits us all.”

Sheffield City Council Burngreave ward councillor Mustafa Ahmed, who is supporting the project, agreed.

He said: “After Covid, people stayed in the home, doing their shopping online. They stay at home and their mental health is really, really bad.

“We need to break out from this fear and get people to trust and come out again.”

Coun Ahmed said that social problems such as fly-tipping can also be improved by creating areas that looked green and well cared for.

The campaign will have a stall at a family fun day at the Norfolk Arms in Ringinglow on August 31. It will feature a human fruit machine – players win a prize if three people hidden inside boxes each produce the same piece of fruit.