Local people of all ages who enjoy visiting the St Ives estate near Bingley are invited to an event this Sunday afternoon (23 October) to celebrate the woodland and its trees.  Keighley-based social enterprise is running the free event which will include woodland crafts and activities, a campfire and storytelling with professional storyteller Jenna Drury from Mud Pie Arts.

Walkers, dog walkers, families and anyone who enjoys visiting the 500 acre country park are invited to stop by and input a memory of a favourite tree or parts of the woodland on a postcard.  The event is part of a campaign by the Woodland Trust to create a Charter for Trees, Woods and People, that will redefine the relationship between trees and people in the UK for the future.   50 conservation and environmental organisations including the National Trust and RSPB have backed the call that will bring trees and woods back into the centre of public consciousness and political decision-making in the UK.  The Charter will be rooted in people’s stories and memories of trees, so events like this are happening around the country to collect stories that show how trees have shaped our landscape and our lives.

Get Out More Managing Director Annie Berrington said, “We run a series of holiday forest schools at the estate and know how much the children love the place.  We’re looking forward to hearing people’s stories about St Ives and meeting people who love the woodland as much as we do.  It’s wonderful to be in the woods at this time of year when the woodlands are changing into their autumn hues.  We will have some fun activities for people of all ages, from roasting chestnuts on the campfire to storytelling for all ages.”

The Woodland Stories event is free and takes place 1-3pm on Sunday 23 October opposite the playground at St Ives.