During March we had further discussions with Marshalls plc regarding the reclaimed quarry at Southowram, Halifax. The Group Property Director, Ian Watson, was happy with our plans to erect a polytunnel on the site. This would enable Trees of Light to invite groups and in particular children and young people to work with the tree growing project.

David Sergeant and David Smith from Marshalls visited the local community to explain the project.

Also during March we were asked to donate two trees to Shade School, Walsden. This was part of a larger renovation of the area in and around the school called Shade4shade. David Sergeant and Cathy Sergeant visited the school and gave a short talk to the year 5 children, afterwards the children helped to plant a Rowan and an Oak in two large planters which had been placed in the playground. An article about this appeared in the Halifax Evening Courier and the Todmorden News.

It was agreed by all parties that the project to set up a tree nursery at Cross Platts Quarry, Southowram, Halifax would go ahead and planning applications were sent in to the local council.

The cost of buying and constructing the polytunnel was over £6000 so Trees of Light applied to the Community Foundation For Calderdale, Children and Young Peoples Fund for a grant. We were very pleased to be successful with the application and the grant was awarded in May.

During the summer months we potted up the trees which had grown from the spring sowings and lack of space to store these was becoming a big problem. We were offered storage space at the ABLE project in Wakefield and volunteers from the Pitstop Project transported about 400 trees to the site.

We continued making plans for the set up of the site at Cross Platts Quarry. Marshalls plc made a commitment to help us as part of their commitment to the local community of Southowram. Planning permission was passed in December and the order for the polytunnel was placed with delivery due in the first week of 2008.

We sold some Oak trees as Christmas presents. The children who received these wished to have a long lasting present and were given a certificate of ownership. The trees will be planted in the autumn of 2008 at the site in Southowram.

Trees of Light look forward to expanding it's activities in 2008 due to the increased space in which we can now work and also due to the continued support of voluntary groups, businesses and local councillors.

Prepared by Cathy and David Sergeant

31^st December 2007