A sapling from the world famous Sycamore Gap tree has been planted in the grounds of a church in Byker.
St Michael’s has undergone an exciting £4.2m transformation into a state-of-the-art youth and community hub, known as the Lighthouse Project, which opened last summer.
The new project has become one of 49 initiatives in the UK chosen by the National Trust to receive a sapling from the iconic tree, on Hadrian’s Wall, which was mindlessly chopped down by vandals in September 2023.
Pupils from St Lawrence Catholic Primary School in Byker, and Byker Primary School, were on hand to plant the ‘Tree of Hope’ sapling on 12 March. The official planting ceremony took place on St Michael’s Mount in front of their family members, friends, teachers, local community leaders, church and Diocesan representatives.
Director of Mission and Ministry, the Revd Canon Dr Ric Whaite, and Diocesan Secretary Chris Elder, were delighted to attend the ceremony with Canon Izzy McDonald-Booth and the Revd John Sadler, who are trustees of The Lighthouse Project.
The project was created following an 18-month renovation of St Michael's Church. It hosts a broad range of activities and services centred around young people, including an open access youth club for juniors and seniors, family health and wellbeing programmes and homework clubs.
Pupils from both schools regularly use the Lighthouse Project’s facilities for a range of different activities, including Forest School sessions in the area where the sapling has been planted.
Ben Roman, chief executive at The Lighthouse Project, said: “The pupils, and the generations that will follow them through their schools, will be able to watch the sapling grow as they grow themselves, and we hope that, one day, they might be able to sit under its branches with their children and grandchildren.
“Our sapling will be looked after and nurtured here in the same way that we’re working to look after and nurture young people in Byker, and we’re honoured to have it here in our community.”
Saplings have been planted in eight other North East locations over the winter, including at the West End Women & Girls Centre in Newcastle, Hexham Abbey and Henshaw Church of England Primary School, the closest school to where the original tree stood.
Andrew Poad, general manager
for the National Trust’s Hadrian Wall properties, said: “The tree meant so much to so many and through the ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative we are helping reach people across the nation, for generations to come.
“Each sapling carries a message of hope with it as they start a new chapter, not just for the tree, but for all the 49 people and communities that have received a sapling.”
The Lighthouse Project was designed to provide a safe, welcoming meeting place where young people and the community can flourish.
The redevelopment includes a new purpose-built youth club annexe, arts and performance spaces, e-sports suite, music rehearsal space, outdoor sports area and a nature trail, while mentoring, special educational needs support and detached youth work are being delivered in cooperation with local delivery partners.
Office, meeting and storage facilities are available for local community partner organisations, while the building also provides a new home for the Byker Scout Group and a reimagined worship space.
The Lighthouse Project was made possible with the award of a £4.2m grant from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport's Youth Investment Fund, and through the generosity of Lord Crewe Trust and The Squires Foundation.
For further information, please visit https://thelighthouseproject.org.uk/
To find out where in the country all of the 49 ‘Trees of Hope’ saplings will go visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/TreesOfHope.