TOWARDS the end of last year, members of Soroptimists International Middlesbrough took their own climate action by planting 15 urban trees in Albert Park in Middlesbrough.

The project was to mark National Tree Week, and also to celebrate 100 years of Soroptimist International (SI). Rowan, crab apple and hazel trees were kindly donated to the project free of charge, by the Woodland Trust.

SI is defined as a global voice for women, advocating human rights and gender equality, in 121 countries and the Great Britain and Ireland branch has adopted “Plant Trees for a brilliant future” as their centenary project.

Middlesbrough Council, in partnership with Middlesbrough Environment City, has pledged to reduce carbon emissions in the town to zero by 2039. Tree planting is part of the strategy in order to help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

A gathering to celebrate the planting could not go ahead because of Covid restrictions, but the council and park ranger, Tracy Roulston stepped in. The park gardeners planted the trees on behalf of SI Middlesbrough, also erecting a special sign, which gives information about the project.

Kath Sainsbury, of SI Middlesbrough, said: “Implicit in the aims of Soroptimists to educate, empower and enable women everywhere is the sense of responsibility towards others, and protecting the environment is consistent with our values.

“In addition to being mindful of our own behaviours that might be damaging our planet, by planting trees, we have played a small part in securing the future for the next generation.”

The work that SI Middlesbrough has done in order to improve the lives of women and girls locally and globally in the last 75 years includes collaborating with the charity, My Sister’s Place in Middlesbrough in order to raise awareness of the plight of women who suffer sexual abuse and domestic violence. In recent times the group has worked alongside residents in another area of the town in order to promote educational opportunities and raise the self-esteem of women who might otherwise have struggled to fulfil their potential. One of the members delivered a successful series of sessions around health promotion and confidence building.

The group supports the Period Poverty campaign by providing sanitary products in the more deprived areas in the district.

One member liaised with Cleveland Police to secure funding so that they could make up "grab bags" containing essential items to meet the immediate personal needs of female victims of trafficking.

The group says in the future it hopes to focus on the kind of social issues that affect communities in Middlesbrough.

"Sadly, the town features in a number of national reports about poverty and mental health," members said in a statement. "We hope that we can continue to find a place in our communities to stand alongside others, whether they are neighbours or strangers, and respond to their needs.”