MEMORIES of loved ones and the pandemic will take pride of place in Solihull Council’s new open space.
Situated on land in Dickens Heath parish between Blythe and Shirley South (and formerly known as allocation 13 in the Council’s Local Plan), Hope Coppice will be a place for people to remember and reflect on the pandemic.
The project is part of a borough-wide Council project to provide areas of remembrance for the families, friends and local communities affected by the Covid-19.
The first phase of groundwork has started with the planting of 50 plum, apple and pear trees to create a community orchard and 750 small trees to create a woodland.
Cherry trees have been planted at the entrance to Hope Coppice as a symbol of Covid remembrance and as a link to the cherry trees delivered last year to families and parish councils.
Work will continue this summer with the creation of locally sourced boardwalks, wildflowers and bulb planting to create new habitats and make Hope Coppice a haven for wildlife.
Councillor Karen Grinsell, deputy leader of Solihull Council, said: “I would like to thank everyone who sent in suggestions for what we should call this new public space. I think Hope Coppice is an appropriate name, it’s positive and reflects the idea that ‘who plants a tree, plants a hope’.
“We want this new site to provide areas of peace and contemplation as well as increasing biodiversity in the borough and supporting our Planting the Future campaign”
For more about the Planting Our Future project visit www.lovesolihull.org/plantingourfuture
