Jen's Birthday Trees - 2022
The beginning of Trees For Birthdays...
Back in April (2022) Jen was inspired by Shamim's Birthday Tree planting, and decided to bring the idea to Scotland and do a Birthday Tree planting as she turned 32.
Shamim helped, and it grew into something really beautiful...
Sharing a birthday with her step-dad (Jim), the two paired up to do a joint Birthday Trees planting.
The Bothwell Green Canopy Initiative kindly donated 100 trees which were planted at Comrie Croft - the home of Trees For Birthdays Scotland. In addition to this the pair raised funds for the planting of much-need shade trees at Vigwasa School in Tanzania.
A joint tree-planting party was planned.
With Jen and Jim hosting a tree-planting party at Comrie Croft and Shamim hosting a tree-planting party at Vigwasa School. We connected via zoom.
"It [connecting with our friends in Tanzania] was honestly the most incredible birthday present ever. The love and joy we shared that day and the cultural exchange was beautiful, and something I will never forget!" - Jen reflecting on planting the seeds that have grown to be a beautiful partnership between Shamim and Jen as they have co-founded Trees For Birthdays.
And the rest they say is history....
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How the Birthday Trees Story started...
For a while now I have been asking for donations to charities that are close to my heart instead of material gifts for my birthday. This year is no different, in fact it gets better still - instead of asking for donations to a charity I have teamed up with my amazing friend Shamim to bring the Birthday Trees campaign she started from Tanzania to Scotland. This year, if you would like to gift me something for my birthday then I am asking you to gift trees!
The idea is to fundraise (as birthday gifts) to support planting (and care of) the number of trees equivalent to your birthday age - so for me this year it will be 32 trees. However, I am doubling that goal because as much as planting trees here in Scotland is amazing I also want to support Shamim's efforts and raise funds to plant birthday trees in Tanzania too! Through this we will 'twin' the birthday trees forests and establish long-lasting links between the schools and communities getting involved - a partnership for climate action between Scotland and Tanzania at the most grass-roots level it gets!
