Alice in Wonderland tree planting - pix BH44210 a/b/c

Twenty trees have been planted by families associated with Demelza Hospice Care for Children and St Michael’s Hospice and are dedicated to their lost loved ones.

The tree planting was the culmination of eight months of fundraising and was organised by Isabel Dennis of Outset Publishing, as a way of celebrating twenty years in the publishing business.

Most of the funds, presently totalling £2,550, were raised through sales of a children’s cookery book, entitled ‘Tea with Alice’.

Isabel said the book, and the idea behind it, brought together many organisations from the South-East wanting to support the charities and to do so in an environmentally-friendly way.

After the trees were planted over 80 people gathered for afternoon tea at the cricket pavilion in the Polegrove Park.

Isabel commented: “It has been an amazing day.

“It was a privilege to be able to share the day with so many special families and it is certainly the best thing I have done in all my twenty years of business.

“All of the families have such poignant memories of the person they have loved and lost, and are so grateful for the opportunity to have a beautiful tree to watch grow and flourish over the years, dedicated to their loved one.

“It’s impossible to mention all the local businesses and people who have helped me take this idea forward and make it a reality, but I would like to say thank you to everyone involved.

“It is through their generosity and support that we have been able to help to give so many people such a special place to visit for years to come.”

Rother District Council Parks development officer Rebecca Owen said : “Both the council and John O’Conner Grounds Maintenance Ltd were delighted to be able to work with Demelza House and St. Michael’s Hospice on such a positive project.

“It was wonderful to do something that clearly meant so much to the families involved, and which will also provide a great deal of pleasure to other users of the Polegrove in years to come. “