East of England team wins award for environmental contribution

Health Education England - East of England has been recognised by the NHS Forest for planting more trees in one site than any other team or organisation in 2015 as part of the campaign.

The NHS Forest is a project coordinated by the charity, the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and communities through increasing access to green space on or near to NHS land. It was chosen to be HEEoE’s Charity of the Year last year, and staff fundraised to pay for 520 trees (one for each member of staff and GP trainee in the east of England) which they then planted in Hertfordshire earlier this year.

The award was announced at the NHS Forest Conference, attended by Dr Keith Cockburn, Associate GP Postgraduate Dean for Hertfordshire. Responding to the award, Keith said:

It was a wonderful surprise that we got recognised for the work we put in to raise money and add to the NHS Forest. It is also good to reduce the NHS’s carbon footprint and contribute to a great cause. It was fantastic seeing staff pull together both in the raising of the money and also in giving up their Saturday to plant the trees. This award is going to be proudly displayed in the office.