32 years ago I had a job in the Christmas holidays planting trees in Sheffield. The site was a recently shut pit, a frozen mud strewn ex-industrial wasteland that was being converted into a country park – how we laughed.
Today I returned to that place for the first time. Whilst Rowan was doing her netball I took the mountain bike for a spin on the Sustrans route that links Sheffield to the Rother Valley country park. I found a lovely place, with lakes and lots of people cycling, sailing, water ski-ing, plodding around. And my trees have grown to form the backbone to the whole place. It is quite rare to be able to see the outcome of your labours, so it felt quite moving. I managed to stop myself from going up to people and saying “you see that forest? I planted that I did” though.
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