Join Walk Works, Ethical Reading and Reading Tree Wardens for a relaxed lunchtime walk through the heart of town, exploring how trees funded by local businesses and the community are quietly transforming our town.
Starting in Market Place, by the information sign (between Romans and Parkers), we’ll head off on a gentle, accessible route that showcases many of Reading’s newest and most meaningful tree plantings. While the exact route may vary on the day, we’ll take in as many of these locations as possible…
From Market Place we’ll move into Town Hall Square, home to the Rooted in Reading tree. This ornamental cherry was planted with Brighter Futures for Children, funded by the local community, to help Reading children in care stay connected with their home town.
We’ll continue through Forbury Gardens, where a pleached hornbeam sponsored by REDA and BID businesses and small-leaved limes funded by AND Digital and the wider business community are enhancing this well-loved green space.
Passing along Kennet Side we’ll see community-sponsored limes on the way to County Lock to see the Shady Side English walnut and trees sponsored by BDB Pitmans and Reading Lions.
We’ll end at the south side of Reading Station, where several trees sponsored by Thames Lido, in partnership with Network Rail, bring year-round interest to this busy gateway. Look out for Cornus kousa ‘Milky Way’, witch hazels, an ornamental pear, Ginkgo biloba and Judas trees.
We hope this walk, in the company of local tree expert Marcus Wheeler, will leave you refreshed and with a deeper appreciation of Reading’s growing urban forest. 🌳
This event is free thanks to funding from REDA and Reading BID, however we welcome donations to Trees for Reading to help towards future tree planting.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Before attending the event it’s essential to fill in the Reading BID and Walk Works waiver: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf64sUkQvZQScEIDILgH-GOGwzrh2GU418MbOz4uZnE0ofdFg/viewform
You can either complete it now or by following the link in the Eventbrite booking confirmation email.
About the organisers
Caroline Gratrix and Liz Bradbury – Work Walks co-founders
Caroline and Liz started Walk Works in 2020, inspired by their deep love of being out in nature and a strong desire to share that experience with others.
They now lead weekly wellness walks in and around the Reading area, creating welcoming spaces where people can enjoy fresh air, gentle movement, and the wellbeing benefits of spending time outdoors. In addition, each Wednesday they organise a town centre walk, supported by Reading BID, offering people who work in town the opportunity to stretch their legs and expand their horizons, while getting to know others who work locally.
Caroline is also a longtime Ethical Reading volunteer and our official people photographer.
Kathryn McCann – Marketing and Sustainability Lead at Ethical Reading
Kathryn leads Ethical Reading’s Sustainability programme as a volunteer, including the Trees for Reading initiative. She also runs the Neurodiversity at Work initiative, alongside Jamie Gordon, and is employed part-time as marketing lead.
Away from Ethical Reading, she is a Green Party councillor for Redlands ward and works part-time for local family support charity, Home-Start Reading.
Marcus Wheeler – Reading Tree Wardens volunteer
Marcus has volunteered for Reading Tree Wardens for 12 years and is the neighbourhood trees warden for Redlands ward.
Each year he runs several guided tree walks around Reading, where he enjoys sharing his knowledge of trees with others.
He is also involved with Econet, which runs a wide range of conservation activities in the Reading area.