Cherry trees planted on Wellingborough estate to spruce up the area

Housing association Greatwell Homes joined forces with Rentplus to plant four cherry trees and help brighten up a Wellingborough estate.

They were joined by children, parents and carers from the local Wellingborough Eco Group.

The new cherry trees are sited near a much-used garage area on the Queensway near Glamis Hall and will shortly blossom into pink and white blooms, providing a few weeks of colour.

Jo Savage, chief executive at Greatwell Homes, was joined by executive director Chris Holloway and board member Cheryl Armatrading.

Jo said: “Many years ago, this space was overgrown and unmaintained.

"After we identified areas that needed some TLC, our Greatwell Places team spent the week cutting it back and turning it into a useful space while keeping the existing trees, much to the delight of the nearby customers who also helped with the project.

“It was so lovely to be able to add more life to a much-used area of the Queensway assisting with the Greatwell Homes’ mission of shaping places people are proud to call home.”

Steve Collins, Rentplus CEO, added: “It is the Tree Council’s Trees Love Care week and Rentplus wants to plant trees on each of our developments - we weren’t able to add to the landscaping on sites in Kingsthorpe, Earls Barton, Daventry or Towcester Road, and so these four trees is a way of enhancing the environment in Northamptonshire.”

Rentplus is an affordable rent to buy provider, who has been working with Greatwell Homes for more than eight years.

Some of the customers who moved into Rentplus properties managed by Greatwell Homes with no deposit between 2017 and 2019 are now buying 100 per cent of their home, helped by a 10 per cent gifted sum from Rentplus to put towards their savings.

The rental income Greatwell Homes received has helped to reinvest in existing homes to make sure they remain up to date, well maintained and suitable for people’s needs.

Steve added: “Greatwell Homes were one of the first adopters of Rentplus and because of them, local people who could not save a deposit have the chance to become homeowners - we’re very proud of this partnership.”

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