Sixty saplings were planted in Borehamwood over the weekend to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat.

More than 50 people went to Woodcock Hill on Sunday with spades and trowels and to plant oak tree and hawthorn hedge saplings.

It was a community event organised by the recently merged Masorti synagogue community and the Rotary Club of the Studios of Elstree and Borehamwood.

Tu B'Shvat is a Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. The day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration.

Borehamwood Times:

Organiser Alison Arellano said: "The event was very well attended and it was a huge success. Everyone enjoyed themselves in the fresh air and having the kids there was so important.

"It is great to have future generations aware of global climate issues and have them help tackle it a local level.

"This is the first of many events we have planned to support biodiversity with the next event celebrating the Queen's Jubilee."

Borehamwood Times:

Among those who attended was Rabbi Danny Newman, who is the joint Rabbi for Edgware Masorti Synagogue (EMS) and Elstree and Borehamwood Masorti Community.

Speeches were also made by Elstree & Borehamwood town mayor Cllr Farida Turner and Cllr Victor Eni, who is president of the rotary club.

Town councillors Sandra Parnell and Pat Strack, who also sit on the Woodcock Hill Village Green committee, also joined in with the planting, as did other political representatives from the community, members of the rotary club, and members of the Masorti congregation.