Planting a Tree of Hope at the Minnie Pit Memorial Garden

On Friday, I joined the Minnie Pit commemoration steering group, the Mayor and local residents in Halmer End for a very special moment – the planting of a new “Tree of Hope” at the memorial garden.

The sapling is one of 49 grown by the National Trust from seeds taken from the Sycamore Gap tree, which was illegally felled in 2023. The number of saplings reflects the height of the original tree in feet, and it’s wonderful that one of the first has now been planted here in our community.

It was a privilege to be part of the planting alongside the Mayor. For many, the Minnie Pit memorial is not only a place of remembrance but a place of identity. The disaster of 1918, which claimed the lives of 155 men and boys, is woven into the fabric of Halmer End and the wider area. Even now, reading the names of those who died aloud in a local school can feel like reading the class register – a reflection of just how many families were affected.

Planting the Tree of Hope felt like more than a ceremony. It was a reminder of the resilience, determination and solidarity that have defined this community for generations – and of the care and commitment so many people have put into making the memorial garden a fitting place to honour that heritage.

The sapling has also been dedicated to the memory of Brian Billings, a much-loved volunteer whose commitment to the garden is warmly remembered. It was moving to stand with Brian’s wife, Veronica, as the tree went into the ground. She spoke about her own Welsh mining family and Brian’s roots in Chesterton – stories that reflect the shared history of mining communities across our area.

As this Tree of Hope grows, it will stand as a living tribute: to the lives lost, to the families who keep those memories alive, and to a community that continues to find strength and hope even in the face of tragedy.