Wessanen UK boosts the ITF’s Centenary Campaign in year one

Camberley, Surrey

Summary

In its first year as a corporate partner to the International Tree Foundation, Wessanen UK has helped to plant over 50,000 trees.

Wessanen UK, the natural and organic food company, has helped the International Tree Foundation (ITF) to plant over 50,000 trees during its first year as a corporate partner of the charity’s Centenary Campaign.

The partnership between the food company – owners of Clipper Teas, Kallo, Mrs Crimble’s and Whole Earth – and the Oxford-based charity, began last summer when Wessanen UK publicly pledged its support for ITF’s 20 Million Trees Campaign. With support from the company, another 30,000 trees are expected to be added to the Kenyan landscape by the end of 2017, reaching a total of 80,000 over 18 months.

The tree planting has been split between three elements of the campaign: forest restoration, agroforestry and tree planting with school children.

Another highlight of the year was the launch of a new call for proposals for ITF’s Sustainable Community Forestry Programme, which provides vital support to small-scale community forestry projects via grants, funded by Wessanen UK. Spanning three different countries – Cameroon, Ghana and Madagascar – the three chosen projects are tackling a wide range of environmental issues, helping to conserve and restore local forest resources and associated biodiversity, improving livelihoods and food security, and encouraging more community understanding and engagement in environmental conservation.

Wessanen UK has also actively been involved in tree planting: two of the company’s employees travelled to Mount Kenya in spring 2017 to experience first-hand how Wessanen UK is helping to support local projects and communities in Kenya.

The support given to the charity also extends to its education projects both in the UK and Africa. Wessanen UK is the sole donor supporting the My 20 Trees and Me: Growing Up Together! project with schools in Kenya. Getting children actively involved in tree planting, the schools projects teach children about the importance of protecting and conserving forests.

Ann Chambers, HR Director at Wessanen UK, comments: “There have been some truly wonderful and inspiring projects for us to be involved with as a business over the last year. It’s great to able to see the huge difference that Wessanen UK’s funding is making to communities in Africa. We are helping to improve people’s livelihoods, enrich the environment and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations.

“As a company we are focused on creating a more sustainable and healthy environment through our portfolio of brands which marries brilliantly with the work and ambitions of International Tree Foundation. More trees means a healthier planet and healthier people.”

Andy Egan, Chief Executive at International Tree Foundation, says: “We have been really impressed by the commitment of Wessanen UK staff to fundraise and actively get involved in the partnership. From the Mount Kenya Tree Challenge to smaller fundraising activities, the staff have shown lots of enthusiasm and passion for what we do. With their support, we will continue to work with amazing organisations in Africa, like Alpha Women Empowerment Initiative in Uganda and Mount Kenya Environmental Conversation in Kenya.”

Wessanen UK will celebrate its first year of working with ITF with a Gala event in Kew Gardens. The formal dinner and dance event, which includes a live auction and raffle, will bring together staff, trade customers and ITF employees to raise further funds for the charity.

Wessanen UK was the first corporate sponsor of ITF’s 20 Million Trees Campaign, which aims to plant 20 million trees in and around Kenya’s highland forests by 2024, when ITF will celebrate its Centenary.