A couple of months ago I accidently attended the ‘Wicked’ Halloween event at St Pancras, where I got to see Lee Mead. The Woodland Trust had their table and banners up and as I do, I picked up the brochures to have a look at. I, like many other folk in this country are keen to ensure that we don’t lose the marvellous ancient forests that still exist, albeit in small little pockets. The Woodland Trust are doing what they can to protect and replant.
So I read the brochures, and as 2011 year is my ‘increase my contribution to the world’ year I decided to include them on my list and submitted the form to become a monthly contributor.
I had no other expectations beyond that. So imagine my surprise and subsequent delight when I received a package in the mail the other day with a wee certificate that tells me I now have a tree dedicated to me!!! 🙂 How cool is that!!!
Woodland Trust Certificate
The tree is situated at Water End, Cople, Bedfordshire. The village of Cople is to the east of Bedford and the woodland is part of the area known as ‘The Forest of Marston Vale’ – a project to plant up to 30% of the vale with trees as part of the reclamation of the extensive former workings of the brick making industry. In December 1999, 5,200 trees were planted; including oak, ash, field maple and cherry.
So of course I had to investigate and find out more about Cople…….my first port of call without question: google!! 🙂
This is what I found: (via this website)
The Great River Ouse is 1.5 miles away.
The village has a population of around 800 people, there is one pub, one church, one primary school (ages 4 to 9) and one garage which no longer sells petrol. The only village shop closed in 1995, but there is a shop in the nearby village of Willington and a major supermarket 3 miles away.
Cople has traditionally been a farming community but farming no longer offers work to many people. Most inhabitants work in offices and factories in nearby towns including Bedford, Sandy, Luton and Milton Keynes.
The name COPLE derived from the phrase “Cock Pool” which was a place where chickens were kept and that Cople was mentioned in the Doomsday Book.
The centre of Cople is dominated by the splendid All Saints Church. One of the most beautiful churches in Bedfordshire.
The Church was originally built soon after 1087 by the De Beauchamp family and later became part of Chicksands Priory. The list of Vicars dates back to 1237.
Guess I am going to have to visit Cople and find my tree!!! 🙂
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