Members of a Soroptimists International group had a disappointment when they returned to plant more trees in an area they had already visited before.

Sadly they found that nearly all of the 420 trees they had previously planted in the Hudson Quarry open space in Tovil last year had been destroyed by “over-enthusiastic mowing”.

Only around a dozen trees had survived.

Undeterred, members of the Medway and Maidstone branch planted a further 50 trees in the hope they would survive “not only the rigours of the Maidstone council gardening teams, but also the exceptionally dry summers that are becoming the norm”.

The area was formerly a landfill site, which is being rewilded in an effort to enhance biodiversity.

The hope is the trees will create habitat, shade and food sources for wildlife while improving air quality, soil stability and beautifying the landscape.

Soroptimists International is an organisation founded to help improve the rights, status and opportunities for women and girls to achieve their best; it also involves itself in many other issues – the environment being one.

Further information about the Soroptimists can be found here.

The branch has been going since 1946, but is always on the look-out for new members.