Ludlow MP Philip Dunne joins children and rangers for planting in Church Stretton

Ludlow MP, Philip Dunne, joined pupils and staff at St. Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Church Stretton, and National Trust Rangers to plant a tree as part of the National Trust’s BlossomWatch campaign, as part of National Tree Week.

The National Trust launched #BlossomWatch last year when the country had just entered lockdown, with a growing body of evidence suggesting that time spent daily connecting with nature is vital to human wellbeing. Research shows that just 20 minutes could help to improve your mood. But only six per cent of adults and seven per cent of children take the time to celebrate seasonal events such as the first day of spring. Flowering trees and shrubs blossom to advertise the pollen and nectar. The blossoming sequence of willow and blackthorn from the end of February through to apple and hawthorn into May are crucial for wild bees.