WHAT WE DO

We collaborate with schools, local authorities, businesses, specialist environmental organisations, artists and other creative practitioners to promote conservation and educate people about responsible access to wild spaces.

"The wood is a lovely place to spend a morning or afternoon listening to the skylarks song, watch the swifts dive bomb the pond for insects or catch up with friends over a cuppa by the wood burning stove. In the last year I’ve learned to coppice hazel, identify potential Bronze Age artefacts, name at least 3 tree and 4 bird species, what a traditional British hedge is made up of and that we have volunteers who make great cakes.” - Adrian (Volunteer)

We run nature activities for children and their families and are developing youth environmental leadership programmes. By involving the whole community in creating a resource and a legacy for Andover in the form of new urban woodland, open and accessible to all, we aim to aid the development of a sense of community and inclusivity in our expanding town. 10,000 British native trees have been planted as of November 2021.

By working closely with 25 schools in Andover and surrounding villages, from 2012 - 2022 we welcomed 10000 children and young people, their teachers, families and friends to plant trees and wildflowers, resulting in the creation of our flagship community woodland, Harmony Woods. On completion of the main wood, our focus on community engagement is through wildflower meadow creation and hedgerow planting; annual children’s tree planting continues on other sites in partnership with local landowners.

Biodiversity isn’t just a buzzword, it’s our guiding principle. It means life. Variety. Resilience. It means protecting the delicate relationships between native trees, pollinators, soil fungi, birds, small mammals, and the many unseen organisms that support entire ecosystems. Our Meadow at Harmony Woods is now developing a rich variety of wildflowers. Notable species included Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis), Lady’s Bedstraw (Galium verum), and Goat’s Beard (Tragopogon pratensis).

The charity’s wood and its facilities provide a wealth of opportunities for learning in and about the natural environment. It remains a long-term aim of our project to offer a space that inspires a love of the natural world through a wide-range of conservation and creative activities, that promotes an understanding of the climate crisis and the need for environmental stewardship and that encourages community cohesion through action that includes all, irrespective of age, ability, aptitude or ethnicity.

In a nutshell, we are working to increase biodiversity, offset carbon emissions, sustainably manage the woodland, create more wild spaces, educate the public in conservation of the natural environment and provide opportunities for the community to learn about wider environmental issues such as: sustainability, climate change, ecology and the mitigating need for trees. Nature in Harmony is our wildlife monitoring project based in Harmony Woods and the wider Diamond Wood.

WHO WE ARE

ATU Champions

Our Champions are regular volunteers who are collectively responsible for the practical work of caring for the wood, looking after the allotment tree and wildflower nursery, running and supporting events and are the driving work force of Andover Trees United.

Doreen Gregori doreen.gregori@andovertrees.org.uk
Workdays Leader & Events Support; Fundraising

Annabel Gunter
Regular Monday Workday Team

Annette Hobbs
Workday & Events Support; Foraging

Amy Ingram amy.ingram@andovertrees.org.uk
Fundraising Team; Catering (especially cakes!)

Sam Ingram
Regular Monday Workday Team

Simone Ingram
Regular Monday Workday Team & Events Support

Stephen Pyle
Regular Monday Workday Team

Fiona Taylor
Andover Trees United Inbox & Communications Team

Kat Uren kat.uren@andovertrees.org.uk
Community Team & Events Support

Jo Workman
Regular Monday Workday Team

John Workman
Regular Monday Workday Team

Volunteering Champions, whose names appear in bold, form the Management Team and meet weekly or fortnightly with Trustees to manage and plan workdays and events, to discuss and oversee both the charity’s day-to-day management and its ongoing development.

Linda Bagnall
Workday & Events Support; Horticulture; Catering

Ron Ballard
Regular Monday Workday Team

Sylvie Ballard
Regular Monday Workday Team & Events Support

Jana Binderova
Green Crafts & Events Support

James Blyth james.blyth@andovertrees.org.uk
Youth Organisations Coordinator

Izzi Campbell
Regular Monday Workday Team & Events Support

Brian Campbell-Bottoms
Regular Monday Workday Team, Landscaping and Site Maintenance

Liang Chen
Regular Monday Workday Team

Karen Coffin
Workday & Events Support

Paul Finch
Regular Monday Workday Team

Terri Forbes terri.forbes@andovertrees.org.uk
Workdays Leader & Events Support; Green Crafts

Intern

Hebe Everington | Current Internship | hebe.everington@andovertrees.org.uk

Hebe is an Ecology and Wildlife Conservation graduate with an interest in plants, environmental education, and practical conservation work. She is also passionate about horticulture and community gardens.

We asked Hebe what she is looking forward to doing during her internship:

“I am excited to be the intern for 2025 at Andover Trees United. I’m looking forward to leading citizen science sessions, as I enjoy sharing nature with others. I am interested in gaining more experience in environmental education and developing my surveying skills. In particular, I look forward to expanding my plant identification skills. I am also looking forward to completing research and getting involved in practical conservation.”

The intern’s role focuses on the three aspects of our ‘Nature in Harmony’ project:

conducting weekly flora and fauna surveys between April and September, and then writing the annual report,
organising and co-leading youth activities
organising and leading monthly public ecology-based citizen science sessions over the spring and summer.

There are opportunities for the intern to tailor the role to their interests and get involved in other aspects of the charity’s work. The Intern is also a member of the Management Team.

Engagement Officer

Abbey Sadler | Nature & Community, Volunteer Recruitment & Retention | abbey.sadler@andovertrees.org.uk

Abbey has a degree in Marine Biology, Ecology and Conservation from Portsmouth University. Before joining Andover Trees United in 2022 she spent several years working with sea turtle conservation projects in Greece. She also has multiple years experience working with the public in the customer service sector.

Abbey is passionate about the environment and sees educating the next (and existing) generation as a key factor in successful conservation.

Both the paid Internship and Engagement Officer posts were created thanks to funding awards. We are enormously grateful to National Lottery and its players for this.

Trustees

The Trustees, most of whom are local residents, are formally responsible for the ‘health’ of the charity, for the care of volunteers and for ensuring that the aims of Andover Trees United are met. They are accountable to the Charity Commission, to the membership and to the local community.

Become a Trustee

We are keen to hear from anyone, with or without previous experience, who would like to take on the role of Trustee. Please visit our Contact page.

Wendy Davis | Operations Manager & Schools; Management Team | wendy.davis@andovertrees.org.uk

Wendy graduated in Education Studies and accumulated 30 years teaching experience, 10 years of which were spent developing learning outside the classroom and sustainable and environmental education programmes. During this time, her work with students won awards from Growing Schools, Learning Through Landscapes, Year of Food and Farming, CPRE Hampshire and the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots ‘Mission Possible’ programme.

In 2011, she founded Andover Trees United and now coordinates its many and varied projects. As UK coordinator for UN Environment Programme Plant-for-the-Planet, Wendy also helps 8-14 year-olds to train their peers as Climate Justice Ambassadors. She loves singing and story-telling, world travel, spending time in and caring for the natural environment and sharing her passion for the natural world with anyone who will listen!

Liz Scrace | Treasurer & Community; Management Team | liz.scrace@andovertrees.org.uk

Liz’s interest in conservation and the environment and concern about the effects of climate change led her to become actively involved with Transition Town Andover and Andover Trees United from their inception.

Liz is a chartered accountant who, on moving to Andover in 1987, set up an accountancy practice which she continues to manage. She has experience as an independent examiner for several local charities and served as trustee for Hampshire and Islands Area Quaker Meeting. Liz is married with three grown up children and among many interests she enjoys walking, singing and gardening.

Tim Rolt | Local Authority Liaison; Management Team | tim.rolt@andovertrees.org.uk

Tim has worked in the software industry for most of his career, working extensively abroad, having originally gained a degree in Electrical Engineering. He has been interested in trees since childhood and became involved with Andover Trees United when he was County Councillor for Andover North.

He is married with three children and his interests include folk-singing, reading, foreign languages, history and walking.

Susan Risdale | Business Networking; Management Team | susan.risdale@andovertrees.org.uk

Susan is a make-up artist, nail technician and networking specialist, committed to supporting sustainable practices. She set up and runs Natural Business Network (NBN), a friendly and relaxed business networking group where participants have the chance to meet other business owners, community members, organisations and individuals.

Andover Trees United was delighted to welcome Sue as a Trustee at the 2021 AGM.

Alex Marshall | Ecology; Management Team | alex.marshall@andovertrees.org.uk

Alex joined Andover Trees United in 2019 as an ecology and community outreach intern, then worked with us a our resident ecologist, and in 2023 became a trustee. Alex set up the Nature in Harmony wildlife monitoring and citizen science project, as well as the Nature in Harmony Youth Team. She brings to the team a background in ecological conservation and a passion for science communication and working with young people.

Alex currently works at The Woodland Trust and in her spare time enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling and painting.

Dan Lobb | Sustainability and Woodland Design

Dan originally studied Fine Art Sculpture, a catalyst for numerous installations and commissions, and in 2006 received an MA in Landscape Design from the respected Inchbald School of Design; followed by, in 2014, a post graduate diploma in Landscape Architecture from the University of Gloucestershire. Since this time he has focused his creative energy on designing inspirational gardens and public spaces.

Dan is a Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers. He has exhibited at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and received a Gold Medal and the ‘Best Conceptual Garden’ award for his innovative ‘Landscape Obscured’ garden in 2011.

Youth Team

Our youth team have either taken part in the Nature in Harmony Exchange Project, volunteered as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award or joined us as a result of a work experience placement.

Youth members have trained at Plant-for-the-Planet Academies, graduating as young UN Climate Justice Ambassadors with an understanding of the importance of trees and tree planting and the role that they play in mitigating the climate crisis. They regularly give their time to look after the wood, support youth activities, raise funds, help at events and give talks.

If you would like to invite members of the Youth Team to give a talk to your organisation, or if you have or know of land suitable for tree planting, please contact them here.

Active members currently include: Matt, Natalia, Lily, Sophie, Amy, Eddie and Henry