The PATT team has been extremely busy putting together the strategy around the Green Task Force and the rollout program starting in Hull in preparation for the up and coming tree planting season.
PATT is currently developing a 3 level tree planting accreditation scheme. With support from the Armed Forces Covenant Trust funding this will allow us to ‘train’ veterans in the aspect of tree planting. This training aspect is particularly important, as there is a growing skills shortage of people with the skills and knowledge to enable organisations to meet the government tree planting targets.
The training is being written both for PATT and a wider audience and will train veterans in the safe, efficient and effective planting of trees at Level 1, at tree identification, spacing, and resolving routine problems and issues at Level 2 and supervising others at Level 3.
The charity is discussing its potential offerings with Hull College to further the academic and vocational elements in the land-based sector after the recent signing of an MOU between the parties.
Keeping things in the military context the team also had the honour of discussing the project at the Guildhall with the Lord Mayor of Hull (who is also the Admiral of the Humber) and who expressed his support for the venture going forward.
The project has linked up with Hull Veterans Support Centre (HVSC) to offer the program to veterans that pass through their facility. Steve Kingdom, CEO if HVSC stated: “Exciting times ahead working with PATT & The Green Task Force to put long term, sustainable, projects in place that will help address mental health and wellbeing”
PATT Founder Andrew Steel, himself a veteran stated: “the traction we are gaining with the GTF project has been phenomenal and the level of support offered has been beyond belief, we have yet to find a closed door as more people are starting to understand what we are trying to achieve linking employment to veterans mental health through nature based tasks.”