We welcomed Munich Re to our five-acre nature reserve just outside Stratford-upon-Avon for another tree planting session to continue expanding our woodland area. 
After refreshments and a briefing, the group enjoyed a fun ice breaking team challenge before collecting gloves, spades and planting equipment to head into our Field of Life. 
The energetic team of 17 planted a mixture of English Oak, Silver Birch and Common Alder tree saplings as well as a range of more established trees including a pair of 9ft Mulberry trees at the entrance to the orchard. 
All together over 100 trees were planted thanks to their amazing effort to help leave a lasting legacy to the area. As these trees continue to grow they will offer sanctuaries to all kinds of wildlife to allow nature to thrive and help fight climate change by trapping carbon. 
The day was a great success and as well as creating a positive impact to our nature reserve, the Munich Re team got the opportunity to get to know each other better out of the office and enjoy a practical, rewarding team building experience.  We give thanks for all their hard work and for supporting our charity. 

DHL Aviation Ltd employees alongside our Green Therapy group helped us to plant sixteen fruit trees in a portion of the field which has become our orchard area. These trees, including apple, cherry, and pear, have been growing in pots at the Kitchen Garden at Stratford-upon-Avon hospital for the last year. We carried these trees to their carefully spaced out positions and dug large holes to fit the roots of the trees inside. 
Now the trees have settled into their new home, the fruit we harvest from them for years to come will go out to the local community through our volunteers and our Harvest Share scheme.
The orchard will also provide a haven for the wildlife we are encouraging in the Field of Life. In Spring, the blossoming trees will provide nourishment for pollinators and the fruit will benefit both insects and mammals such as birds, hedgehogs, badgers and hares (like the ones we spotted at the end of last year).
We also continued to plant hawthorn and hazel into our mixed-shrub hedgerows, which will also help boost the biodiversity in the field, and act as a corridor between different habitats. Hedgerows create a natural windbreak which helps to create a micro-climate in which the trees in the orchard can flourish.
A huge thank you goes out to the group from DHL Aviation Ltd and to our Green Therapy group for their hard work.