Council’s UKSPF grant helps Broxtowe Women’s Project create a Forest of Kindness Trees during Anti-Bullying Week

Broxtowe Borough Council awarded a £24,935 UKSPF grant to BWP to deliver ‘Power of Words’ a creative outreach and social engagement project that promotes reading, writing and art in the Borough. BWP provided match funding for the project. The Kindness Trees form one element of the project. The grant was made possible through the UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) from the UK Government.

Over the next six months BWP will be encouraging a range of groups and organisations to create their own Tree to add to the final exhibition that will be displayed as part of their International Women’s Day 2025 event.

BWP are suggesting that people and groups can make a Kindness Tree during the three ‘growing seasons’:

• Ready for White Ribbon Day, 25 November
• Ready for Christmas displays 2024
• Ready for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2025

Many organisations and schools have already signed up to create a Tree, including Broxtowe Councillors, schools and businesses. A combined team from BWP and Broxtowe Borough Council are happy to come out and give presentations, run activities or generally get Trees growing.

To get inspiration going, BWP suggest using a theme for children of “Kindness starts with me” and a general theme of “Choose Respect”. These reflect themes for this year’s Anti-bullying Week. The week also includes World Kindness Day and Friendship Friday,

Leader of Broxtowe Borough Council and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Asset Management, Councillor Milan Radulovic MBE, said ‘I am delighted that we are able to support Broxtowe Women’s Project in delivering their Power of Words project across the Borough. The Kindness Tree initiative has already gained momentum with organisations and businesses and I hope that many more will join. Let’s see if we can create a Kindness Tree Forest as large as Sherwood Forest.’

Broxtowe Women’s Project Partnership Manager, Chris Harris said, ‘BWP have been delighted to utilise the UKSPF funded Power of Words project to support many creative activities this year. The idea of the Kindness Trees came from chatting about Trees producing paper for us to write on and read – but trees also provide strength and beauty. The children we were working with came up with the idea of kindness rocks and trees and the project was born – we are really pleased that so many groups have come forward to be involved. Some of the designs are really creative and we will enjoy sharing our “forest” with you all in March.’

If you want to create your own tree, contact Chris Harris, Partnership Manager, BWP chris@broxtowewp.org

You can find out more about White Ribbon, Anti-bullying and Broxtowe Women’s Project through the following links:

https://broxtowewomensproject.org.uk/ (Opens in a new window)

https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/wrd24 (Opens in a new window)

https://schoolofkindness.org/ (Opens in a new window)

https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week-2024-choose-respect (Opens in a new window)

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is UK Government funded and Broxtowe Borough Council has been allocated a total of £2,584,477 over a three-year period 2022-25. Activity funded in 2024/5 includes local business, skills and community projects, including a set of community grant-funded projects.