Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum

Blog - Staff and trustees

A Maple Odyssey in Greece

Ever wondered where the seeds for our stunning trees come from? Join us on a thrilling journey to the Mediterranean, as we delve into the latest seed collecting expedition undertaken by the experts at Westonbirt Arboretum.

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What’s in a story? Unreflected Reflections, the biography of community

If ever there was a demonstration of the value of intergenerational storytelling, it was our day shared with The Friendship Café watching the second in their trilogy of community films. Pioneering Glimpses tells the story of the Muslim Community in Gloucester, with its gentle biographical style exploring the history of faith in the city.

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Countryfile at Westonbirt Arboretum

If your Sunday evening viewing has you captivated by the awesome autumn beauty and historic heritage of The National Arboretum, you’re not alone. The awe-inspiring collection of Japanese Acers, Oak trees, and Whitebeams are world-famous, transforming the landscape in a dazzling array of yellow, orange, and crimson hues in autumn.

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Fresh Faces, Fresh Ideas: Meet our New Trustees

We're pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Bryars and Sam Addadahine to the charity’s Board of Trustees, read on to find out more about them...

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Getting our Hands Dirty: A Tree-mendous Day at Westonbirt!

Armed with spades, smiles, and enthusiasm, we joined forces with the amazing Westonbirt staff, united by a shared passion for the environment to plant trees as part of the Silk Wood Community Planting Project.

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My rewarding experience as a trustee

One of our trustees recounts their fulfilling journey, from being introduced to Westonbirt's captivating beauty to playing a key role in shaping the organisation's people-centric policies and inspiring staff. Read on to find out more...

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Jane's incredible journey...

Our Head of Supporter Journey, Jane, is leaving the charity and moving onto a new adventure this October, read about her journey with us in this blog...

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A Trustee's journey with The Friends: Martyn Smith

We recently caught up with Martyn Smith, our charity's Finance Trustee, to learn more about this valued volunteer who donates his time to guide our organisation. Read on to find out more...

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The joy of volunteering at Westonbirt

Read a day in the life of a Westonbirt volunteer guide, Martin Green, who also generously gives his time as one of our charity trustees...

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Expanding Westonbirt's role in global tree conservation

We’re thrilled to announce that The Friends have provided funds to support the new role of Tree Conservation Manager at Westonbirt to deliver on conservation objectives befitting a world-leading botanic institute.

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Meet our new CEO

We recently welcomed Emma Griffiths, our new CEO, to The Friends' team. Read her introduction to get to know her a little more...

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Running the 2022 Westonbirt 10K

With the completion of the Westonbirt 10K on 12 May, we caught up with Julia, our Westonbirt Runner, to find out how it went…...

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A fond farewell

During my time at Westonbirt, I could not have foreseen the challenges that were to face the Arboretum. However, I am proud to have seen the resilience of the staff on site and you our members and shareholders in the face of significant adversity.

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A digital migration: Keeping calm and carrying on

Behind the scenes, at Westonbirt, our Membership Team have been on a digital journey, read on to find out what's been going on...

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