Open Meeting Tuesday 18th November 2025 – Martina Irwin – A Safe Haven for Coventry’s Trees

Join us for an inspiring evening celebrating grassroots conservation and community action with a presentation from our very own Martina Irwin.

We will explore how one local initiative has transformed a patch of forgotten land into a living sanctuary for trees, wildlife, and people. Martina’s talk will remind us how much difference determined individuals can make, even in the face of urban pressures, loss of green space, and declining biodiversity.

Martina is a veteran tree conservationist, wildlife campaigner and fox rescuer based in Coventry. She is co-founder of the award-winning initiative The Tree Sanctuary in Coventry’s Potters Green allotments, a haven for rescued, donated or heritage-stock trees. Since its inception the Sanctuary has planted more than 200 trees and continues to restore damaged trees before replanting them in community spaces.

Martina also helped establish the “Tree Amigos” volunteer group whose young members carry out tree rescue, planting and community outreach. Their efforts have won regional recognition and media coverage.

Earlier this year, Martina helped lead the community campaign to save 26 mature trees along Clifford Bridge Road in Coventry, threatened by council plans for a new cycleway. The protest drew hundreds of residents, with a record-breaking mass “tree-hug” demonstration showing the public’s strong attachment to these trees and their environmental value. While the council argued that replacements would be planted, campaigners highlighted the loss of established habitats and the wider impact on biodiversity. The movement sparked city-wide discussion on how development and nature can better coexist, a theme central to Martina’s ongoing work at The Tree Sanctuary.

At our open meeting Martina will share the story behind The Tree Sanctuary: how, from six re-imagined allotment plots, it has become a thriving refuge for trees and wildlife, how community donors and volunteers have made it possible, and how the project links to wider campaigns for urban tree protection and regeneration.

We are pleased that as a committee member of the Warwickshire Badger Group, Martina brings her grassroots conservation experience both with mammals and trees. Her insights will be valuable for anyone interested in habitat restoration, community volunteering and the intersection of animal rescue and tree advocacy.

Refreshments and raffle

We’ll be holding our usual raffle on the night, with all proceeds supporting our badger conservation work across Warwickshire. If you’re able to donate a small prize, we’d be very grateful. Popular items include chocolates, bottles of wine, or anything with a badger or wildlife theme. Every contribution helps us continue our vital work protecting badgers and their habitats, and makes the evening even more enjoyable for everyone.

We look forward to seeing you there.