Residents share stories of Hartlepool parks as part of new community project

Led by charity Trees for Cities and supported by Hartlepool Borough Council, the project Stories from Hartlepool’s Parks brought together people of all ages who shared their stories of the town’s trees and parks.

Working with community groups, care homes, schools and youth organisations, stories were gathered and brought to life through illustrations and artwork which were then displayed at the Hartlepool Art Gallery, in Church Street.

Roddy Shaw, senior development manager at Trees for Cities, said: “This initiative captures the ambitions of our Tree Equity for Hartlepool project, ensuring that everyone can share in the benefits of a greener, healthier and more equitable urban forest for Hartlepool – now and for generations to come.”

Stories from Hartlepool’s Parks forms part of the Tree Equity for Hartlepool Project led by Trees for Cities and is part-funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and The Linbury Trust.

The project aims to tackle the low number of trees in Hartlepool, using new tree mapping technology to plant trees in communities where they are most needed.

Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, added: “This is about even more than trees – it’s about people, pride and our future.

“Through our fantastic partnership with Trees for Cities, Hartlepool is coming together to celebrate our green spaces and make sure they thrive for generations to come.

“Hartlepool is not just being regenerated on economic, leisure and cultural fronts, its green spaces are being regenerated too.”