The primary goal of Forests With Impact, a community interest company, is to grow seedlings that will assist the UK in achieving its tree planting, nature recovery and biodiversity targets, while the surplus income made from the tree nurseries will be reinvested into targeted training and community resources for the prison and the local community.
This programme not only tackles local employment and skills development challenges, but also serves as a powerful force for environmental change, marking the start of an extraordinary journey toward ecological restoration, community empowerment and social well-being.
Forests With Impact aligns with BSW’s own operations, and the two businesses have already been working closely together, with Maelor Forest Nurseries, a member of BSW Group, providing expert insight to help HMP Haverigg establish its first polytunnel.
Andrew Henry, nursery director at Maelor, has supported the launch of the initiative with invaluable advice, along with Gavin McLaughlin, head of ESG at BSW Group, and James Brennan, head of marketing at BSW Group.
“We’re delighted to be a national partner for Forests With Impact and believe their objectives are very closely aligned with our own,” said Gavin McLaughlin.
“Growing and planting trees promotes ecosystem restoration, helps combat climate change, and improves air quality, all while equipping prisoners with employable skills.
“Helping to provide valuable skills is an essential step in improving our communities and helping those in difficult situations turn their lives around.
“We’re incredibly excited about the programme and believe that by working together, we can help to change people’s lives for the better, while also raising awareness of the opportunities within our sector.”
“Forests With Impact is a unique and innovative social enterprise, which is only made possible by our partners,” said Sarah MacGregor, programme lead for Forests With Impact.
“Through collaboration across industries, we are creating meaningful change, which gives hope, pride and purpose to prisoners, whilst helping create forests across the UK.
“The expert support and advice from BSW has been incredible and crucial to our set-up and launch. We are forever grateful for the amazing legacy they are helping us to create and the impact we are making together.”
With 250,000 saplings already planted, and a larger polytunnel being installed soon, the project is gearing up for a wide scale launch later this year.
“So much progress has been made in a short space of time, but we are already excited about the future of the programme,” said Mr McLaughlin. “Forests With Impact have some very ambitious plans – and we’re delighted to be part of it.”
