Allison Homes Central teams up with Somersham Primary School to help protect 100-year-old veteran trees
Our Central region has proudly teamed up with Somersham Primary School, to help protect two willow trees, estimated to be 100 years old, situated at our Cranbrook Grange development in Somersham, Huntingdon.
The large, veteran trees stand at the heart of Cranbrook Grange and are both protected under a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), meaning they cannot be cut down, uprooted, cut back or damaged.
As veteran trees, the willows contribute to local biodiversity by supporting insects, birds and other wildlife, as well as enhance the area’s visual character. The trees also improve the quality of the site’s green space, helping to boost residents’ wellbeing.
Due to the age and condition of the trees, the surrounding open space needs to be carefully managed to prolong their life expectancy as much as possible.
To achieve this goal, we ran a competition for pupils of Somersham Primary School, which is part of Meridian Trust, to design a sign to be put up outside the trees, to teach residents and the public about their importance.
A Year 3 pupil, Sam, was chosen as the winner and will now have their design proudly displayed on site. As a prize Sam received a £50 voucher, and we also donated a voucher of equal value to the school.
The new sign was unveiled during a special event held on site with Georgina McCrae, our Central region’s Planning Director.
Georgina said: “These two willow trees are incredibly special, and we take great pride in having them at the centre of our Cranbrook Grange development. By installing this sign, we hope our residents and visitors will feel a sense of pride too and help us to keep the area safe and protected.
“It’s been a real delight working with Somersham Primary School on this project, the pupils’ designs were all fantastic and a huge congratulations goes to Sam for creating our winning sign. We hope the children all enjoyed learning about the veteran trees and we invite them to come and visit at any time.”
Jonathan Clarke, Headteacher at Somersham Primary School, said: “Taking part in this project has been a brilliant way to extend learning beyond the classroom and inspire our pupils to think about the world around them. They really enjoyed getting creative with their designs and learning about the importance of protecting local habitats. We’re very proud of Sam for producing the winning entry, and it’s been fantastic to work with Allison Homes on such a positive, community-focused initiative.”
Located on The Bank and surrounded by beautiful countryside, Cranbrook Grange offers a high-quality mix of two, three and four bedroom homes, just a short drive away from the vibrant towns of St Ives and Huntingdon.
Find out more about Cranbrook Grange or contact our sales team on 01487 253104. The sales office is open Thursday to Monday, from 10am to 5pm.
Allison Homes Web Article: 16th December 2025
