Trees in Memoriam

TREES IN MEMORIAM - A LIVING MEMORY

The Rotary Club of Harrogate invites you to purchase a Tree in Memoriam either in memory of someone who has died or to commemorate a special occasion, birthday, marriage, new baby, family etc..

The Scheme works as follows:-

The Rotary Club of Harrogate obtains trees, on the Stray and elsewhere, from Harrogate Borough Council. This allows members of the general public the opportunity of having a tree as a living memorial.  They can be purchased at cost price plus a nominal administration fee of £5 from us.  (Note: all prices quoted include the £5).

The money from the sale of trees is then given back to the Council enabling them to plant more trees. The Council will also replace, free of charge, any dead or damaged trees during the first few years of existence. Where there are older trees, which cannot be replaced because they would look out of place, then an alternative is usually offered, though this is a rare occurrence.

The tree can be dedicated to one or more people, and this is then recorded in a Book of Remembrance, which is kept at the Pump Room Museum near the entrance to the Valley Gardens. We also include the name or names of those donating the tree.

Once we have sold a few trees in a particular area we arrange for a Service of Dedication, which is normally held on site. A member of the clergy conducts this, and the donors, relatives and friends are invited to come along and join in the Service. Usually this is held on a Saturday morning between May and October and we try to give several weeks notice of the event where possible to enable people from away to attend should they wish to.

Locations of the Trees that are currently available:-  

Stray Rein - A number of established medium-sized Norway Maple trees are now available.  They are situated in a prominent and attractive position on the eastern side of Stray Rein (second row) and are priced at £250 each.

Milton Way – These are the well-known Cherry Trees, which are being replaced near the Prince of Wales Roundabout.  They cost £113 each, but they will normally have a bit shorter life span than most of the other trees on offer. Only a few are available.

Empress Roundabout – Granby – These trees are in front of Granby Court on The Stray. There are some larger trees at £155 and more mature trees at £230, with a line of trees running alongside Skipton Road up to Claro Road from the first junction after the roundabout. Those still available are Lime and Alder. However we have sold all the newer smaller trees.

Forest Moor Road – These are all Lime trees at £80 situated on the right hand side as you travel out of Harrogate towards Knaresborough. There is a group of six first and another of seven, with the seven trees being nearly opposite the Nursery. Three still remain to buy.

Christ Church Stray – Knaresborough Road - We have available just four Lime trees on the second line at £225. 

Christ Church Stray (diagonal path towards Walkers Passage) - a fine terrace including a selection of Oaks, Alders, Birch, Limes, Pine, a Cedar, Sycamore and Maple at prices from £155 to £355.   

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

If you are interested in any of these locations and would like to buy a tree (or would like a leaflet on the Carbon Emissions Offset Scheme, please contact Rotarian Michael Wearing, 19 Park Place, Park Parade, Harrogate, HG1 5NS, telephone 01423 552717, e-mail gmwearing@virginmedia.com.                                                                                                               
You will then be sent plans of the sites in which you are interested. Once you have selected an available tree (they are sold on a first come basis so it is sometimes useful to have an alternative) you should telephone and reserve the tree.

You will be asked to write and give details and full names of the person or persons to whom the tree is being dedicated and, where appropriate, their date of death. You will also be asked to give the names of the donors whose names are to be put into the Book of Remembrance.

Please note that the names will not appear in the Book of Remembrance until all the trees in a particular area or section have been sold as it is impossible to estimate how much room each entry may take in the Book. 

With the details for the dedication, we will ask you to send a cheque for the appropriate amount to "The Rotary Club of Harrogate".

Over the 25 years that the scheme has been running more than 700 trees have been bought and dedicated.