The Hollingbourne Meadows Trust is spear heading an ambitious project for 2018 code named Project 100
Artist impression by local artist Antonia Enthoven
HMTL have worked in partnership with the Leeds Hollingbourne and District Branch of the Royal British Legion, to plant an “Avenue of Remembrance”, with 100 trees to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1.
The trees have been planted in 4 lines of 25, with a “Circle of Peace” in the middle of the Avenue.
The Hawthorn tree was chosen from a long list of trees native to the Kent country side as it best embodies and personifies the soldier and comrades that so valiantly marched into battle to defend our liberties.
HMTL Ranger, Benedict Williams, took inspiration from the tree’s symbolisation: “The red berries for the blood, the white flowers for the peace, gnarled trunks look similar to the stumps left after the shelling. They start as saplings and then grow and come together, it is like the naive young men from across the country who came together, as they grew in stature, confidence and camaraderie to prevail”.
Project 100 is still looking for anyone who feels that they want to be a part of this project and to make a small (or larger) donation towards its upkeep.
We are also still looking for businesses, commercial entities and companies to get behind the project and support it in any way that they can. Please get in touch directly with HMTL for more details.
Thank you for giving generously and please follow and share our social media updates and to view the project progress.
► If you wish to follow our project's progress on Facebook, please click Here
► And to make a donation please click the "PayPal Donate" button below
► If your donation is in the form of a cheque (Payable to "The Hollingbourne Meadows Trust Ltd") these can be posted to: Cardwell Pavilion, Greenway Court Road, Hollingbourne, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1QQ. Please mark your donation for Project 100. When donating, please consider using Gift Aid. For every £1 you donate, the taxman gives us 25p (at no cost to you).
The Brave Young Hawthorn
The Hour is here, as the deathly days break into dawn.
Oh Hawthorn come, Oh come brave young Hawthorn.
The need is great, the alarm is loud, and the cry goes up, the trumpet calls,
Come face our fears and all that may befalls.
Dirty mounds of mud next to deep dark holes,
Look to the left and right, do not count the souls.
Be courageous, be strong, stand tall young tree, stand tall and be brave.
The rain lashes your cold skin, wave after wave.
In long lines of beautiful uniform
You stand alone at first and face the storm.
Yet as time matures your body and mind,
So do your young branches begin to with each others entwined.
Put forth your blood red berries and tell the world
Put forth your peace white blossom and let them unfurled
Of all the life that soaked into this cold earth
Let us look back and know the peace for which you fought and paid its worth.
Your gnarly woody trunks blaster by war
Forgive us for all that your saw
Your hardy courage rooted firmly in your hole.
May God bless and keep eternal your soul.
Reach out your branches and link in with your brother arms
Now grow in peace brave hawthorn, as silent fall the alarms
Hold each other, stand as one, unified in camaraderie
Let us stand before you now and repose in your harmony.
Thank you brave Hawthorn, yea did harken the call
Thank you young Hawthorn for even in death you stood tall
Thank you strong Hawthorn yea did hold the line
Thank you mighty Hawthorn for this country today that is mine.
Let us stand today and blow the trumpet, let us blow the horn.
Let us look back and remember the Brave Young Hawthorn.
