The perfect way to plant trees AND solve your Christmas gifting crisis for 2022.
TREE TWINNING
The gift that just keeps growing
Christmas Starts in:
Christmas shopping is a herculean task.
It's the arduous hours trawling through websites, looking for the best deal or somewhere that has your item in stock.
Then the infamous day comes when you crawl at snail speed into town, fight for a car parking space and step out to face the brutal Christmas shopping frenzy on those few precious Saturdays leading up to Christmas.
Every year you ask yourself, "Why? Why did I not do my shopping gradually throughout the year, or in October, why did I leave it to the eleventh hour again?!"
And everyone else, is asking the same question .
Ladened up with twinkling lights, yards and yards of festive wrapping paper and all the thrilling little bits and bobs (don't forget the cheese) for a perfect day, you head home, heart happy.
It's all worth it. With the laughter, the joy and the family time that Christmas brings, it is a season to make your friends and family feel loved, adored and cherished.
But, because we are talking Christmas trees here... we thought we'd throw about some surprising and grisly Christmas facts. Feel free to use them when pulling crackers or when slurping the morning's bucks fizz!
With the weighty environmental impact of your holiday season, there are solutions to make your Christmas greener than ever.
Why be greener than ever?
Because our planet is losing a football pitch worth of trees every second, and we need to take this seriously. The problem directly impacts us, the Christmas carbon emission numbers we’ve talked about, they are colossal, so become relatively arbitrary in our minds.
But we need to see them for what they are - reason to make change happen. Global-warming statistics everywhere haunt you, but before you hate us for inducing a panic-stricken Christmas filled with woes of armageddon...
We are not here to do that.
We are here to tell you there is good stuff happening all over the world. Forests are being replenished, river banks protected, and biodiversity restored.
If we keep planting trees, we can start reversing the devastation we've inflicted on our planet. So, if you are questioning the woeful state of the earth, kick "how are we ever going to achieve this?" to the curb and start asking, "how do we get involved?"
Did you know we use and throw away 226,800 miles of wrapping paper over Christmas? That is enough paper to wrap around the world nine times. 9 TIMES!
And Santa's contribution to greenhouse gases? Between the stockings of shiny new plastic toys (from a Santa factory that makes them) and 122 million miles of methane-emitting red-nosed reindeer travel. Not to mention their year-round care…
Santa is estimated to emit 69.7 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere each Christmas season.
Ouch Santa.
In defiance of dropping pine needles and the sad disposal of your tree in January, thousands of us have converted to fake trees. But these festive firs made of synthetic plastics and manufactured metals are then shipped around the world, mainly from China, with a hefty footprint. Would it shock you to learn they are worse for the environment than your average fir tree? You will need to enjoy your plastic tree for a minimum of ten years before it pays back its carbon. That does not even account for its end-of-life plans in a sorry state, slowly breaking down into harmful sea-turtle-hurting micro-plastics in a landfill.
In a bid to defuse rising objections, your fake tree gets greener if it’s a life-long keeper!
Most pine trees come from sustainable farms, growing for seven odd years in a healthy land-use cycle. As a result, for 7 years, they are sequestering carbon before being chopped down.
However, landfill is a Christmas tree's downfall. They emit methane as they decompose, there is an eye-watering cost to landfill eight million trees, and it hits the taxpayers' pockets at a whopping £22 million a year.
Amazingly there are tree-recycling stations where your tree can be turned into chippings for paths or mulched into soil.
We love the famous words of Jane Goodall:
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
We can’t tell you to paint yourselves green and lie across Westminster bridge in protest of the world’s deforestation crisis, because that’s not how we all roll.
But just as we tell the girls in our BRAVE education programme. YOU have a voice and a choice.
A choice to decide what kind of difference you want to make in the world.
And how you want to do it.
You can choose to plant 100,000 trees in Malawi with us this Christmas.
Twin your Christmas tree with trees in Malawi, and your one-time, single-year Christmas tree will pay itself back tenfold.
Because we need to plant more trees right now.
Argh, I hear your concern, millions of dollars are sent to plant trees around the world. Yet you never seem to hear any good change in the media or see all these canopies of dense forests that should be popping up around the world.
We get the mistrust that charities seem to breed effortlessly. But first-hand-on-the-ground changes are happening; they may not hit the media, but we see forests growing and society changing around us. And. It’s. Exciting.
It may sound counter-intuitive, but we don’t want to receive millions of dollars to plant millions of trees.
Before you think that is an utterly insane statement for a tree-planting project - hear us out for a second.
We are ALL about planting thousands of trees sustainably. Partnering with communities, in a solid and effective project structure. Doing things slowly to ensure that we hold true to our values of bringing the social importance of trees back into everyday life.
From humble beginnings we now plant 100,000 trees annually. This number will grow sustainably and with integrity with your continued support.
We can explain our day-to-day and give you stories of change in emails and on our socials, but if you really want to see what’s happening, come and pay us a visit.
Meet the families that now have sustainable forests, see the animals that live in restored habitats and experience the beauty of a tree-filled part of Malawi.
Who we partner with:
Government
Prisons
Communities
Schools
Individuals
How we partner:
Government and community bylaws meetings
Form committees
Introduction education and training then more education following at each stage
Seed collection
Nursery formation
Care and management
Site preparation
Planting
Weeding and protection
Cycle starts again each year
We have a deep battle cry to let loose on global warming and this grassroots project is answering that call. It is honest to a fault, intent to educate, stuck on sustainability…..and it’s changing the face of our local area forever.
Not because “we” are planting trees, but because there are hundreds and hundreds of people in Malawi who rally with us, standing for change and are planting forests.
· A football field worth of trees is cut down every second.
· Antarctica experienced t-shirt hot weather last year.
· 5.5% of our annual carbon emissions happen over three days at Christmas.
How do you feel about twinning your Christmas tree and helping to plant a multitude of football pitches this year? Together we can make Christmas greener and slow down the changes happening around us.
You, communities, schools and prisons in Malawi.
LET'S DO THIS!
Together change is possible.
When you buy a bauble, you are planting ten trees in Malawi. Either a family, a school or a prison in Malawi is planting those trees to receive highly nutritious fruit (also can be sold for additional income), improved soil integrity, coppiced wood and restored eco-systems.
Your trees are life-giving beyond expectations.
Handmade in Wales, by an incredible team of volunteers, the baubles are sustainable and cost the charity NOTHING.
Your £10 works hard planting trees and providing educational tree-planting workshops to communities, schools and prisons in rural Malawi.*
One bauble keeps the environment front of mind - and in a positive way - on Christmas day.
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And did we mention? The baubles are the second-to-none solution to save you from the last minute panic of buying for extended family and friends who have everything…
A bauble is also a great conversation starter. What’s that on your tree? Well, now you’ve asked, let me start with a few festive Christmas carbon facts about Santa...
And as the years tick by, your trees will continue to live and breathe, soaking up carbon. If you bought a bauble in 2020, our first year of twinning, your trees will be 2 meters high and sink approximately 50 tonnes of carbon each year (around 5 tonnes per young tree).
Isn’t that something?
And not only that, you:
Provide a family with a livelihood and a sustainable life-long supply of wood.
Give prison inmates better nutrition, a vocation and an opportunity for reform by planting a forest.
Corporately plant a community forest, protected through by-laws.
Inspire students to make change possible in Malawi and make educated and environmentally conscious decisions for their futures.
We can’t assure you more of the credibility of what we do.
Cost of windblown Welsh ash - donated by local farms: £0.00
Cost of laser engraving - donated time: £0.00
Cost of packaging - donated: £0.00
Cost of online payment processing: £0.51
Cost of advertising - donated: £0.00
Cost of bauble: £10.00
Amount heading to Malawi to plant trees: £9.49
"What a great way to give and receive this Christmas. Tree twinning- planting into something that will give to others-the heart of Christmas." Aaron Davies-Whitfield
Here is What Tree Twinners Say:
"It was a unique present, we gifted baubles to family, twinning their trees for them! They looked really really good. The packaging was neat and fun to open. We used the gift messaging to personalise them. It's a clever idea, and I'm pretty chuffed there are a few trees in Malawi now. Planted by us." Gwen Thomas
"Love that we can ‘twin’ our Christmas tree to Malawi knowing 10 trees will be planted there, making a difference to the community. The baubles look fab on our tree too!" Helen Griffiths
What Helen Whiter, a long-standing volunteer and supporter has to say about us:
"After I retired, I was keen to do some volunteering overseas, which is how I came to discover Fisherman’s Rest. I was so impressed by the work they do, and it was such a wonderful experience, that I have now been back 3 times. Over the years, I have seen the impact as their work has grown: new schools built, more classrooms, libraries and toilets in existing schools, with breakfast porridge, served in more schools. All of this means that more children go to school, in particular girls, so classes can be enormous! Local people (both men and women) are now trained to maintain the village water pumps. Conservation is high on the agenda, with tree planting and demonstrations of how to build a fuel-efficient oven.
I’ve mainly worked in schools but have helped on other projects as well. I’ve supported the women’s literacy classes and the Girls’ Project, helped build an oven and seen the chicken projects in schools, where learners look after chickens and develop business skills. I particularly like the fact that Fisherman’s Rest are employing and training up a large team of local workers, some of whom now lead on projects. They are making such a difference and always looking for new ways to move forward. And once the pandemic has settled down, I shall be going back."
Precious Kaunde Ntayamwana Village:
“For the last 2 years I have been caring for my woodlot trees, there is now a wall of green by my house. It beautifies my house, also making it safe from strong winds and is better for breathing fresh air.”
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Meet our tremendous tree planting partners:
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Ziwoni Malimusi- Mselema Village:
“Before the Family Tree Project came to help us, we were spending all our money on fertilizer. The fertilizer trees now save us many Kwachas, we no longer need to save all year, we have our own fertilizer trees! The harvest from maize has been even better than with bought fertilizer. The Changu Changu Moto is also saving us from buying firewood. Now we are can manage much better”
Bett Gustino – Ntayamwana Village:
“My family now has many trees, we do not need to buy firewood. This tree cuts and grows again. It helps my family. The oven uses only small bits of wood. Now our family is happy.”
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What is tree twinning?
Every year thousands of households up and down the country get into the festive spirit with the purchase of a Christmas tree however once the festive season is over the breakdown of these trees releases their carbon back into the atmosphere. By twinning your tree we will plant ten trees in Malawi, they will then be monitored and protected so that they lock in carbon for the long haul.
Simply put you are replacing the Christmas tree you purchased with ten more!
How it works
Each £10 bauble funds the planting of ten trees in Malawi. Hand crafted in Wales, by an incredible team of volunteers, they are not only sustainable, but cost the charity nothing. This means every-single-penny is planting trees and providing educational tree-planting workshops to communities, schools and prisons in rural Malawi.*
Sustainable packaged in bio-degradable plastic free packaging
Over the years your twinned trees will continue to grow, soaking up all that nasty carbon that we all create.
What's more...
Your trees will provide a family with a livelihood and a sustainable life-long supply of life-essential wood.
Give prison inmates a vocation and opportunity for reform through planting forest.
Inspire students to make change possible in Malawi and make educated and environmentally conscious decisions for their futures.
*excluding online purchases subject to a processing fee. (51 pence)
Once used - please throw it back into a forest to naturally bio-degrade or keep it forever!
BONUS
Last year's giveaway was hugely successful and a stay in the magical Chestnut Cabin has been gifted again for 2022.
Order 5 or more baubles and you will be entered into a draw to win 3 beautiful nights away at the Chestnut Cabin in rural Carmarthenshire, a secluded escape on the edge of a forest with your own hot tub! www.chestnutcabin.co.uk
With your purchase of 5 baubles, you will be added into the draw. Each additional purchase will give you an EXTRA entry.
5 Baubles = 1 entry
6 Baubles = 2 entries
7 Baubles = 3 entries
15 Baubles = 11 entries
The lucky winner will be announced in the first two weeks of January 2023.
Buy a bauble and you will:
Plant ten trees in Malawi in schools, prisons, protected forest & household allotments.
Provide education alongside tree planting. Covering, effects of deforestation, tree germination, care and the benefits of securing trees for the future.
In the long term, help combat Malawi's deforestation crisis and help households survive by coppicing, preserving trees and farming sustainably.
What's included?
A hand crafted Welsh ash wooden slice bauble to grace your Christmas tree. Individually gift wrapped and boxed nestled in moss from our woodland, packaged in bio-degradable eco friendly packing .
Option to include an additional personalised gift message and send the package directly to it's new home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Malawi?
Deforestation is a huge problem in Malawi. 89% of the population cook on wood-fired stoves or open fires. Wood is used for construction, warmth, sterilising water and cooking. Without this resource, many people will die of illness and starvation and the land will degrade to sand, useless for growing food.
Combined Postage?
Yes, as you add more baubles to your basket, the reduced postage will be automatically calculated.
How long has the project been established?
We have been working in Malawi for over 30 years. FROM Wales was registered as a Charity in the UK in 2012. We started the Tree Project in 2013.
Safe Payments
We use WIX payments to complete our transactions, Wix Payments is fully PCI DSS compliant, which is the highest information security standard for companies accepting credit card payments. It's also PSD2 SCA compliant, which is important for European merchants
Online Orders
Once you click “BUY NOW” for your bauble, you will head to the checkout to complete your purchase with our payment provider- WIX stores
Easy Returns
We hope you do not need to return your product. But if you do, please contact our customer service and we will sort any issues with you asap.
Customer Service
If you have any questions or problems with your order please call our UK number +44 (0) 1994 758 146. Leave a message if we are unable to take your call. We will endeavour to be in touch within 24 hours. Or please email bethan@fromwales.org
What trees do you plant?
Please have a look at our Tree Project web page. We outline what we plant, where we plant and why!
Delivery
We will send out all orders within 48 hours of payment, using Royal Mail 2nd Class delivery. Please do remember, post can take longer over Christmas.
What charity is this?
Tree Twinning is run by FROM Wales UK registered Charity 1149385. Please check us out on the Charity Commissions Website.
Too Expensive?
We are sorry you may think so. But our experience has taught us that planting trees well needs a team of skilled people, who are constantly training and monitoring the communities, schools and prisons involved in the project. To truly make effective impact, this is what it costs us. For more details on the extent of the Tree Project, please read more here.
How do I add a gift note?
As you move through the checkout process, you will see a text box to "Add gift message". If you miss this, please email bethan@fromwales.org on the same day as purchase, with your order number and the message you would like to include.