Forest glades and sporting blades: Youth Forum sapling giveaway delights at Sheffield Children’s Hospital

It might be autumn, but the leaves at Sheffield Children’s were turning red for a different reason this week. 

Members of the Sheffield Children’s Youth Forum welcomed visitors from the Sheffield United Community Foundation to Sheffield Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, as they gave away 50 free saplings to children, young people, families and colleagues as part of the Red Roots programme. 

The event created plenty of excitement in the Joy Garden at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, with the representatives from the Youth Forum, Sustainability team and Sheffield United Community Foundation giving away all 50 trees within a single hour. Now planning for their next giveaway event, the group is aiming to give away an additional 100 trees, taking their total to 150 trees to celebrate 150 years of outstanding care at Sheffield Children’s.  

Jenny Miller, Environmental and Sustainability Co-ordinator, said: “It was great to see such great support for a project like this, and we’re so pleased to be working the the Sheffield United Community Foundation on such an important piece of work. We’re already working on our next collaboration with the Red Roots initiative, and we’re setting our aims high!”

This November, Sheffield Children’s will be celebrating 150 years of creating healthier futures for children and young people in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and beyond. But we know that a healthier future is only achievable by championing environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. That’s why we’re working hard to reduce our carbon footprint, and we intend to increase our efforts now and in the near future to achieve the NHS goal of reaching net-zero by 2040 as part of our Green Plan.

Collaborating with Sheffield United’s Red Roots initiative is part of that sustainability agenda. Red Roots is Sheffield United Community Foundation’s city-wide tree-planting project, bringing together football, community and the environment to help make Sheffield greener. Through free planting sessions, education and nature-based activities, the project aims to inspire people of all ages to get active, connect with nature and leave a lasting legacy across the city. 

Thanks to everybody who came along for making the event such a success!