Disabled grandmother stages one-woman protest against removal of 61-year-old tree
- last year
A disabled, nature-loving grandmother staged a one-woman protest to get a stay of execution for a willow tree due to get the chop.
Grabbing her walking stick, a chair and a quilt, Virginia Hanley, 70, set out into the cold and planted herself at the base of the tree.
Workers arrived at the scene on Tuesday after the a decision was made to remove the 61-year-old tree due to subsidence issues at a nearby property.
The 70-year-old has lived in a nearby bungalow since 2007.
When she looked out of her window on Tuesday, she was shocked to see workers preparing to chop the tree down.
The woman from Minster in Sheppey, Kent, said: "I went outside and asked them what they were doing.
"They explained they were taking it down with permission from Swale Borough Council (SBC) and that it would be gone in four hours.
"I replied saying 'oh, so I've got four hours to try and sort this out?' and he said, 'oh no, I'm starting it now'.
"So I came in, grabbed a chair, grabbed a quilt, grabbed a walking stick, put a wrap around me and a coat and I went out and sat under the tree."
The act of defiance was no easy feat, as the mum-of-two was left living with a disability following a road accident in 1984.
At the time, she had to deal with nerve damage but it's now turned into nerve malfunction, meaning she can't walk long distances.
Ms Hanley was told that Swale council had requested the tree to be cut down as the willow had caused a neighbour’s porch and house to subside.
However, not everyone agreed with Ms Hanley’s protest. Her neighbour, who has lived in his home for 25 years, was happy for the tree to go.
At the moment the old willow was still standing.
However, the tree’s future does not look promising. A Swale council spokesman confirmed that despite the protest it is necessary for the willow to be taken down.
They said: “Unfortunately, due to subsidence issues with a nearby property, we have had to take the decision to fell this tree.
"This is not a decision we have taken lightly, and only after we have investigated the issue thoroughly, including root analysis reports which highlighted the tree's impact on the property.
“In these situations, we do aim to replace any felled trees where practical, and we will review this location for suitability once the felling work has been completed.
“We know people value trees, and they are an important part of our work to tackle the climate and ecological emergency, which is why we have planted more than 14,000 trees across the borough this planting season alone.”
Grabbing her walking stick, a chair and a quilt, Virginia Hanley, 70, set out into the cold and planted herself at the base of the tree.
Workers arrived at the scene on Tuesday after the a decision was made to remove the 61-year-old tree due to subsidence issues at a nearby property.
The 70-year-old has lived in a nearby bungalow since 2007.
When she looked out of her window on Tuesday, she was shocked to see workers preparing to chop the tree down.
The woman from Minster in Sheppey, Kent, said: "I went outside and asked them what they were doing.
"They explained they were taking it down with permission from Swale Borough Council (SBC) and that it would be gone in four hours.
"I replied saying 'oh, so I've got four hours to try and sort this out?' and he said, 'oh no, I'm starting it now'.
"So I came in, grabbed a chair, grabbed a quilt, grabbed a walking stick, put a wrap around me and a coat and I went out and sat under the tree."
The act of defiance was no easy feat, as the mum-of-two was left living with a disability following a road accident in 1984.
At the time, she had to deal with nerve damage but it's now turned into nerve malfunction, meaning she can't walk long distances.
Ms Hanley was told that Swale council had requested the tree to be cut down as the willow had caused a neighbour’s porch and house to subside.
However, not everyone agreed with Ms Hanley’s protest. Her neighbour, who has lived in his home for 25 years, was happy for the tree to go.
At the moment the old willow was still standing.
However, the tree’s future does not look promising. A Swale council spokesman confirmed that despite the protest it is necessary for the willow to be taken down.
They said: “Unfortunately, due to subsidence issues with a nearby property, we have had to take the decision to fell this tree.
"This is not a decision we have taken lightly, and only after we have investigated the issue thoroughly, including root analysis reports which highlighted the tree's impact on the property.
“In these situations, we do aim to replace any felled trees where practical, and we will review this location for suitability once the felling work has been completed.
“We know people value trees, and they are an important part of our work to tackle the climate and ecological emergency, which is why we have planted more than 14,000 trees across the borough this planting season alone.”