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  3. I Dig Trees another huge success
Man planting a tree

I Dig Trees another huge success

March 16, 2018

Thank you to everyone who got involved in the 2017 'I Dig Trees' planting – our partnership’s greener legacy will continue to grow.

Since May 2015, we have worked in partnership with the energy supplier OVO Energy to encourage thousands of volunteers and community groups to ‘join in, feel good’ by planting native trees in over 1,570 green spaces across the UK.

OVO Energy inspired the creation of the ‘I Dig Trees’ programme which provides free tree packs for community groups to plant in their local green space and opportunities for people to volunteer at organised tree planting events.

We are delighted to have seen this legacy grow year after year. So far, over three exciting years, an incredible 568,000 trees have been planted across the UK as communities have come together to improve their local environment and make a difference for future generations too.

The ‘I Dig Trees’ partnership has had great support from our customers, and it’s exciting to see how far their contributions have gone

Hope Thomas, Product Manager OVO Energy

This incredible achievement has meant that I Dig Trees has planted trees across 1,570 sites and achieved a whopping 150,000 hours of volunteering, which not only has health benefits for the participants and the wider community, but also has had a huge impact on the environment.

Darren York TCV Chief Executive – “This is our third year of an incredible partnership with OVO Energy. We’re thrilled with the ‘I Dig Trees’ programme and to see that so many community groups and volunteers have participated in helping to plant 568,000 trees. This greener partnership is very special to TCV and we are delighted to support OVO Energy and their commitment to make a real and lasting difference in local communities by reducing CO2, improving green spaces and encouraging wildlife to set up home.”

Steve Sangster a volunteer from Billet Wood in Kent said – “We were grateful to receive 50 trees that we have started planting in a sweet chestnut coppice.  This is part of our management plan to diversify the woodland based in an area of outstanding beauty in Kent.”

Some 568,000 trees later… and here’s an energetic team from OVO Energy still busy planting. This was filmed on ‘I Dig Trees’ location in Bristol during February 2017.

Despite the mud and snow the team demonstrated their commitment to the ‘I Dig Tree’ programme and their ambition to plant 1,000 trees in record breaking time!

Natalie a volunteer said, “I’d love to keep doing this, I’d definitely come back and hopefully it’ll be a little bit warmer. And we will plant a million trees!”

OVO joined us again in late December with a team of 160 volunteers across three TCV projects in Bristol. These pictures demonstrate their Christmas enthusiasm from the day at Hardwicke Field which is made up of wildflower meadows, woodland and scrub as well as being home to Tytherington Rocks FC.

Clearing scrubland and installing benches were just a few of the tasks that made a difference to this site in just a few hours. Their determination and team work have ensured that this area will be enjoyed by the local community and wildlife for years to come. Well done team!

Like to learn more?

Would you like to know why OVO Energy under their Green Energy add-on and Greener Energy tariff, is committed to or reduce, offset or positively impact against their CO2 emissions with the I Dig Tree programme? Head over to OVO's I Dig Trees page.

We would like to give a massive ‘high five’ and thank-you to all the volunteers, community groups, schools and of course staff from OVO Energy and TCV who have worked together to create new pockets of leafy green spaces in the heart of UK communities and planted a green legacy for the future.

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