A pair of kanzan cherry trees are blossoming in Victoria Park after being planted to replace trees vandalised in the town last summer.
The original trees were planted by the town council’s ranger team with pupils from Selwood Academy but were cut down overnight in June.
Residents Nick East and Rob Hearn responded by launching a crowdfunding appeal to fund replacements, with the JustGiving page reaching its £420 target within hours of going live.
Suppliers Barcham Trees offered a discount on the replacement saplings, which were planted in the autumn and are now in blossom. The funds also contributed towards a replacement handkerchief tree near the bandstand.
Cllr Mark Dorrington said, “It’s fantastic to see the cherry trees healthy and blossoming, thanks to the quick action and kindness of Nick, Rob and everyone who donated to the fundraiser. Hopefully we’ll see these trees blossom many more times in the years to come.”
Nick East said, “We saw the trees had been cut down and they were such a beautiful addition, so we thought we’d pitch in and ask the community if they could help us crowdfund to replace them. The response was amazing; it only took a few hours to get the money together. It’s great to see them back and thriving.”
The trees are planted close together on the north side of Victoria Park.
Pictured l-r: Rob Hearn, Cllr Mark Dorrington, Bodie the dog and Nick East
