For many years, the Diocese of Bath and Wells and the Anglican Church of Zambia have shared a strong partnership through their Companion Link, building friendships and learning opportunities between communities in both countries. As part of the worldwide Communion Forest initiative, schools connected through this partnership are taking practical action to care for creation by growing and planting trees in their local communities. Young people learn about environmental stewardship while helping to create greener, more sustainable spaces. At the same time, they build friendships across continents, share experiences and gain a deeper understanding of their interconnected world. Through this combination of environmental action and global partnership, schools are helping to nurture both thriving landscapes and lasting relationships. 

 Through collaboration between schools in Bath and Wells and Zambia, young people are learning about the impacts of climate change, exploring environmental solutions and playing an active role in creating greener, more sustainable spaces. Schools in Bath and Wells support their partner schools through fundraising activities to help transport trees, which are provided free of charge by the Zambian Government, while students, teachers and local communities in Zambia work together to plant, nurture and care for them. Alongside the environmental benefits, the project strengthens relationships across the Anglican Communion, enabling young people to build friendships, share experiences and develop a deeper understanding of their interconnected world. By combining environmental action with global partnership, this initiative is helping to nurture both thriving landscapes and lasting connections between communities. 

Tree Planting Project, Bath and Wells – Zambia Link  

The Diocese of Bath and Wells has been piloting a Tree Planting Project involving three schools in our Diocese and schools across the five dioceses in Zambia through our Companion Link. The project aims to strengthen relationships between schools in our dioceses while raising awareness of climate change and encouraging practical environmental action. Tree planting provides significant environmental benefits and promotes collaborative learning, responsibility, and care among young people. 

Alongside these environmental and educational benefits, students develop a global perspective and a greater appreciation of the world around them. They build connections and friendships, support the planting and ongoing care of trees, and contribute ideas for maintaining and making use of the surrounding spaces. Schools in Bath and Wells commit to communicating and learning with their partner school in Zambia. They also organise fundraising activities to cover the transportation of trees, which are provided free of charge by the Zambian Government. In turn, schools in Zambia commit to planting, growing, and caring for appropriately selected trees, while providing regular progress updates. 

Haygrove School in Bridgwater held a cake sale and baking competition during the Autumn Term to raise funds for transporting trees to its partner school in Mawanda, in the Eastern Diocese. This is an established link, and teachers from Haygrove have previously had the opportunity to visit Mawanda. Students, staff and members of the local church all helped with the planting of a number of trees. The whole process has been supported by an Environmental Coordinator in Zambia who was able to identify where the trees should be planted, and which species would be most appropriate for the conditions in this area. 

Bath and Wells had also hoped that a second secondary school (CofE) would revive a historic link through the project. However, the school has since chosen to work with its local primary school in Bruton, where a successful link already exists, and together they are developing a new connection with a secondary school in the same area of Zambia. The third pilot sought to establish a completely new link. Unfortunately, issues relating to the ownership of the school in Zambia meant that a partnership could not be formed and an alternative is being sought by the Bishop of Eastern Diocese. This pilot project has demonstrated the many benefits such projects can bring, while also highlighting areas for development, particularly the need for clear and regular communication. We remain committed to the project and will continue refining the support we provide to help schools run it successfully in the future.