Celebrating 10 Years of Tortworth Arboretum

On Saturday 26th April, we celebrated 10 years of Tortworth Forest Centre with our biggest event ever. Over 350 people joined us in the woods to mark this special milestone, including long-time volunteers, first-time visitors, staff, project participants and supporters.

The site was full of colour and creativity. With support from South Gloucestershire Council, we were able to commission the piece as a lasting tribute to the community around Tortworth. Bristol artist Sophie Rae invited guests to help create a collaborative mural, now proudly displayed on the public footpath so all who visit can enjoy it!

We launched two new audio trails on the day, sharing voices from our wellbeing work and the restoration of the arboretum. Several artists exhibited work inspired by the site, created over many months. We would like to say a huge thank you to Laura Murray, Molly Lemon, Frances Patrick, Yasmin Jones and Zariq Hanif for sharing their incredible creative talents and time with us.

Twelve new trees have been planted this year by volunteers and wellbeing participants, each one chosen for its beauty and potential to thrive. Rather than a single ceremony, we held small planting moments with the people at the heart of our work. One participant reflected:

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I’ve enjoyed thinking about the future these trees will have. All the people that will sit under them and how they will become home to wildlife.

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Really lovely, it was wonderful to walk around the arboretum and see everyone (all ages) enjoying it. My 14 year old loved the axe-throwing and I loved the yoga.

It’s a beautiful time of year at Tortworth, with bluebells, rhododendrons, wild garlic and even the handkerchief tree in bloom.

If you missed the celebration, join us at our next Visitor Day on Sunday 11th May where we celebrate bluebells and the coming of Spring!

Here’s to the next ten years.