Two oak trees, grown from fallen acorns at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s old site in Papworth Everard, have been planted at the hospital’s new building in Cambridge.
Richard Bowes, who works in the Trust's IT digital team, gathered several acorns back in the autumn of 2011, although only two have survived to become strong saplings.
During the past nine years he has grown the saplings at home and recently brought them to Royal Papworth's new hospital - into which the Trust moved in May 2019 - to be planted outside the front entrance.
"This has been a long personal project. I'm delighted that we have been able to plant these oak trees in the grounds of our new hospital.
"I'm looking forward to watching them grow in their new environment knowing that it will maintain the link to our history. They will not only enhance the environment here, but also act as a trigger to memories for long-serving staff and patients who remember the old site.
"In another 30 year or so both these trees will produce acorns and I hope someone else will plant a few of these acorns too to keep the story going.
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