James Aldridge

One Ash

The One Ash project is a sister project to Ash Tree Stream, devised and run by Andover Trees United to support children to learn about sustainable forestry practices through direct experience. Ash Tree Stream evolved out of an invitation from ATU Director Wendy Davis, for me to develop a programme of creative learning for theContinue reading “One Ash”

The Ash Tree by Sally Potter

The Ash Tree Gathered on the grass in your mottled, welcomeshade down at the end of the sweltering garden,we toast the newlyweds’ happiness here. Glorious tree!I gaze up at your tiny twigs and bright leaves’ traceryagainst the summer sky. Beneath your cool umbrellaI’ll rock each new-born’s pram, push the swing ever-higheras summers pass, tell theContinue reading “The Ash Tree by Sally Potter”

More Favourite Ash Trees

Although the focus of the Ash Tree Stream school sessions is very much on the Ash Trees of the Andover area, I’m enjoying linking my own Andover-based research with learning about the place of the Ash Tree in the wider UK landscape. With the popularity of the earlier ‘Your Favourite Ash Trees’ post, I decidedContinue reading “More Favourite Ash Trees”

Perpetual Choir for the Ash

Sharing this event from Facebook for Azul Valerie Thome: Imagine a “Perpetual Choir” of humans singing for 24 hours non stop across our Earth for the healing of the 90 million Ash tree and all her relations. You bring your Choir, your family and friends to an Ash tree and sing song of beauty andContinue reading “Perpetual Choir for the Ash”

Your Favourite Ash Trees

It’s been brilliant to have people responding to Ash Tree Stream posts by sharing their own favourite Ash Trees on Twitter and Facebook, and writing poetry. To start off this evolving post of contributions here is a Haiku written by John Hawkhead on Twitter: die back the old ash turned to ash This latest photographContinue reading “Your Favourite Ash Trees”

Spending Time With My Favourite Ash Tree

I drive past a particular Ash Tree on the way to my son’s school. It’s part of a hedge that runs along a single track road, near where we live in the Pewsey Vale, so not the easiest place to stop. I’ve cycled past before and admired it, but never stopped to poke my headContinue reading “Spending Time With My Favourite Ash Tree”

Exploring Together at Portway Junior School

At Portway Juniors they have their own small woodland, planted with the Andover Trees United Director, Wendy Davis, and a woodland trail that runs through it, along the edge of the school field. The wood is fairly young and consists of a mix of native species. Today’s group of children were a Year 3 class,Continue reading “Exploring Together at Portway Junior School”

A Frosty Start with Appleshaw St Peters

The mist stayed with us throughout the morning at Appleshaw St Peter’s Primary School. With a similar range of materials and the same introduction as the other four schools, its really interesting for Becky and I to see how the children respond. Appleshaw has lovely wooded grounds with quite a few Ash Trees, as wellContinue reading “A Frosty Start with Appleshaw St Peters”

Taking Art Outside with Andover C of E Primary School

This morning was Becky and my first session of the project with Andover Church of England Primary School, a town centre school with whom Andover Trees United has worked a number of times before, carrying out tree planting and other activities. For Ash Tree Stream we are working with Class 3 and their teacher CharlotteContinue reading “Taking Art Outside with Andover C of E Primary School”

Starting Out at Vernham Dean

This morning was the first Ash Tree Stream session at Vernham Dean Gillum’s Primary School at Vernham Dean, a village about 9 miles north of Andover. The content of this first session was similar to that at Harrow Way last week. I want to offer the schools the same general starting point and then theContinue reading “Starting Out at Vernham Dean”