SAIF Golden Charter

Matured for 21 years

“From small acorns do mighty oaks grow”, goes the old adage, and this is certainly true for Golden Charter’s partnership with the Woodland Trust.

Twenty-one years ago, Golden Charter decided to make a donation to the charity for every pre-paid funeral plan sold, making it the longest corporate sponsor of the Trust, and this year donations are estimated to reach the £1 million mark.

To celebrate the 21-year anniversary and the £1 million milestone, a number of events are being organised around the UK and will be announced soon. One already launched is the ‘Golden Challenge’ in September, which aims to raise £21,000 by encouraging Woodland Trust and Golden Charter staff to walk, run or cycle 21 kms through the beautiful scenery around Loch Katrine in the Trossachs in Scotland (see the panel on page 24 for further information on this challenge).

The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity with three main aims: to protect ancient woods and trees; restore areas that are damaged or degraded, like ancient woods planted with non-native conifers and trees; and create new places for wildlife where they will protect the landscape and help to join up habitats.

The Trust was founded in 1972, and over the years it has identified woods under threat and fought to save them, campaigning alongside local communities or raising funds to buy them. It has also acquired land with the potential to create new woodland and the charity now owns more than 1,000 wildlife-rich native woods across the UK, covering 73 square miles in total.

Since its partnership with the Trust, Golden Charter’s donations have helped to plant more than 300,000 trees across the UK, from the Trust’s estates in Glen Finglas in Scotland in the north to Hucking Estate in Kent in the south.

Judy Hills, the Trust’s Fundraising Manager, said that the charity is extremely grateful for the support of its corporate partners, like Golden Charter. She said: “They play a vital role in supporting the work we do, whether it be planting more trees, protecting centuries-old trees or restoring woodland so that native trees can grow and thrive.

“Golden Charter has donated almost £1 million to us in a relationship that spans more than two decades. During this time, its impact on the environment has been tremendous, helping plant more than 300,000 trees throughout the UK – that’s the equivalent to a forest the size of 250 Wembley football pitches!

“The donations go towards our woodland creation work, helping us in our aims to increase tree cover and helping people of all ages access and enjoy the benefit of trees and woods – as well as providing homes for much-loved wildlife, from dormice to dragonflies and beetles to butterflies.

“Supporting the Woodland Trust on its journey as a charity provides businesses with both rewarding and exciting opportunities, as well as practical. Our partners show great awareness about the need to protect the UK woodland and the wildlife within it – they believe, like us, that life is better with trees.”

Gordon Swan, Golden Charter’s Director of Communications, said: “To be the Woodland Trust’s longest-running corporate partner is a fantastic position for us, and I know it is a cause close to many independent funeral directors. Many Independents have a very real connection to these issues – not least those funeral directors involved in Woodland Burials and those with extensive eco-friendly funeral options available.

“Everyone has benefited from our work together. Aside from our direct financial contributions, which are now in excess of £900,000, we have helped more than 300,000 trees to be planted. Plus, many of our plan holders have dedicated trees in the past, and our funeral directors still receive stands as part of the Funeral Planner of the Year Award package.

“Through this partnership, we were invested in ecological work long before it was trendy. With that relationship maturing into its 21st year, our aim is to make 2016 the biggest year for our partnership yet.”

1995

Golden Charter started to support the Woodland Trust by making a donation for every pre-paid funeral plan sold

2009

The Golden Charter-Woodland Trust partnership celebrated reaching the 200,000th tree milestone when a Major Oak clone was planted at Glen Finglas in the Trossachs, Stirlingshire, Scotland

2012

The 250,000 trees landmark was reached and a Golden Charter Grove of 500 trees was planted at Lang Craigs, Scotland

2016

The Golden Charter-Woodland Trust partnership celebrates 21 successful years, and £1 million of fundraising

Woodland Trust Team building exercise with tree planting

Golden Charter staff help to plant trees at a team building day at the Woodland Trust’s Lang Craigs, near Dumbarton, Scotland, in 2014.  This site is one of the Trust’s largest woodland creation sites in recent years, with more than 250,000 native trees planted there since 2011.

Did you Know?

Just 13% of the UK is covered with trees. That’s low compared to the average European country that has 37%

Since the 1930s, more than half the UK’s ancient woodland has been destroyed; today it covers just 2% of the UK

60% of UK animal and plant species have declined in the past 50 years. Many are now endangered; some face extinction

The Golden Challenge

To celebrate 21 years of working with the Woodland Trust, Golden Charter is urging people to put their best foot forward for a ‘Golden Challenge’ in September

This fun event is open to staff at Golden Charter, the Woodland Trust and Independents, as well as their family and friends.

It encourages people to either walk, run or cycle 21 kms through the beautiful scenery around Loch Katrine, neighbouring the Trust’s largest estate, Glen Finglas, in the Trossachs, Scotland.

So how about organising a team with colleagues and friends? There is an overall fundraising target of £21,000 to be raised as an organisation to support the work of the Woodland Trust, representing one kilometre and £1,000 for each year of working together.

Email communications@goldencharter.co.uk for more details.