As we approach 4,000 signatures we move to a new phase of our campaign efforts - a crowdfunding page is now live as of yesterday and amazingly £3,500 has been raised already.

I hope it is very evident that I am writing these updates to report on the hard work of others. This has become a vast campaign network of interested individuals all volunteering time and energy, building on an original few hundred who had been trying to save the trees for the last 18 months or so. I am keen to emphasise that this has all taken on a life of its own and I am just a small part of the huge number of community members trying to save these trees. While the support being given towards the Old King George Old Oak is incredible, it is not without challenges in trying to now create positive outcomes that so many want to see. Particularly in view of the still impending deadline of the 1st February that the council are trying to fell the tree by. 

This has all taken on a momentum I had not at all expected when launching a petition (500 signatures and perhaps a meeting with the council to discuss that was all I could dream of!). So it’s been amazing to see how Wivenhoe residents have organised themselves around a common aim of saving these trees in the short term, and seeking a more transparent process of deciding their fate longer term. 

Other updates to follow:

First, how is the tree(s)?

The old King George oak (and at least one ash and horse chestnut… and perhaps more due to be felled, still awaiting clarification from WTC) are still standing! 

It is now a whole week into the closure of the car park, and it is believed that the tree surgeon has already been postponed at least once, from when it was thought the tree was being felled last week, to who knows when. This campaign and the efforts of the self-initiated, spontaneous volunteers who call themselves the ‘tree protectors’ have therefore to the best of our collective knowledge succeeded already in delaying the chop for a little while. 

With this small amount of extra time many have been working hard to develop a case and approach to explore for the trees’ retention. There has also been work on building relationships towards a hope of starting a more consultative process in our community together with Wivenhoe Town Council, who of course ultimately have the power to decide whether the trees stay or go (albeit under significant influence from Aviva).

Crowdfunding campaign

As announced in our last newsletter, the campaign has instructed a barrister and are working with him in earnest towards constructive and formalised dialogue with those in a position to change our beloved tree(s)'s fate. Namely, Wivenhoe Town Council and Aviva. With this more serious step and whatever it may entail, things now move from asking for signatures to a petition, to asking for our community's (and beyond!) hard earned cash. The crowdfunding goal is to raise in excess of £20,000 towards professional services and legal costs. This is to allow this campaign to effectively work to deliver on the asks of the original petition. No one of course can guarantee the outcome but I'm feeling hopeful in the possibilities that lie ahead.

Please don't think we've all taken the decision to ask for financial support lightly. Times are tough - especially in the weeks after Christmas and before January pay day. In any case, most are feeling the pinch more than usual. This money will be put to as much use as possible and is hoped to help the Wivenhoe community. We hope to have a good shot at securing the independent survey and evaluation so many believe is deserved, to explore the subsidence issue Aviva cite as being caused by the oak tree and others and then whether alternative mitigations could resolve them if so and how best to deliver these. The quicker the crowdfunder reaches the target the more impactful this effort will be.

I'm once again taken aback by the passion of our community to save the tree(s)... within a couple of hours of our crowdfunding page going live and before we'd had the chance to send out details of our crowdfunding page via our X and Blue Sky accounts (give us a follow if you don't already!) we had already raised £1,000! We now have within a day of launching (and not even mentioning on here yet) raised more than £3,500. Thank you to everyone for this, a huge help already.

The tree protectors

It's particularly important to note that a huge number of the Wivenhoe community have continued to be working hard day and night to protect the tree from felling in their 24 hour ‘tree protection’ vigil. The crowdfunding ask is to not be seen to diminish the sheer graft and physical toil the tree protectors have dedicated to the trees, but should be seen to be the administrative (perhaps slightly duller, behind the scenes) side to the efforts of trying to protect trees in this country through administrative systems and contracts etc.

The tree protectors are, to my understanding, a self-organising body of Wivenhoe resident volunteers seeking to protect the tree. I am in awe of their resilience in all weathers and in the face of uncertainty, and their ability to organise themselves to provide this vigil for the community while being peaceful. 

The tree protectors have been keeping theirs and the wider community’s spirits up, including by holding weekend 'busking sessions', with a number of Wivenhoe's folk music scene coming along to perform at the tree. I'm guessing those at the tree would be delighted to receive visits from anyone with entertainment skills (or with yummy treats) to keep things cheerful and varied for them as the days are increasingly repetitious.

The powerful signage and artworks mounted around the tree's vicinity is ever growing. It's amazing to see how the tree is inspiring the making of things. The metal fencing around the trees is increasingly adorned by acts of community creativity (and frustration too!).

The tree protectors are continuing in monitoring the wildlife visiting the trees and nearby hedges. They are being increasingly careful to not disturb birds and creatures who appear to be starting to explore possible nesting spots. With spring around the corner, who knows, there might be another cycle of nature's enjoyment of these habitats ahead...

Other news from the tree campaign 

• There is a meeting planned with WTC and our respective legal representation for the end of this week. We hope to continue having warmer dialogues and to work to find common solutions
• Local history buffs and long time residents have been busily digging through archives to find photos of the tree over its recorded lifetime. In so doing, they've discovered that Wivenhoe has long been a place that campaigns for the rights of children to play in a pleasant setting, with a protest in 1935 asking for playspace for kids. Now, some 90 years later the community seeks to safeguard the trees that make our children's play areas so special from being felled. In this time Wivenhoe community members have also stood together against live exports at Brightlingsea, development of the port area in the 80s, supporting coal miner strikes and against genetically modified crops. This save the old oak tree campaign is therefore just one of many similar community efforts over the generations that our tree may have observed.
• The campaign is now signed up to National organisation ‘Canopy’ who join the dots between efforts like ours across the country. Please see their website for more details of other similarly affected trees and to gauge the scale of the crisis facing urban street trees across the UK.

Thanks again for all the support. Please do contribute to the crowdfunding page if you can, or spread word of the story of the Old King George Oak tree to anyone you think could help. Here's hoping for another week of the tree(s) safely continuing in their quiet and noble presence.

*Thanks to local musician, poet and writer Martin Newell for today's update title and punny John Lennon misquote.