Hindu community joins tree planting campaign in Milton Keynes

Members of the local BAPS Hindu community have partnered with Community Trees Milton Keynes to plant 100 oak saplings.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is one of the largest Hindu fellowships in the region and is celebrating the centennial birth anniversary of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

The creator of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London (popularly known as ‘Neasden Temple), he formally established the fellowship in Milton Keynes during a personal visit in 1990.

As a part of the centenary celebrations, BAPS is commemorating Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee by contributing to the Queen’s Green Canopy project in communities across the UK this year.

This year Community Trees: MK (CTMK) announced a monumental ten-year ‘Seed the Future’ campaign to plant a total of 10,000 trees across Milton Keynes. The scheme is in partnership with The Parks Trust and Broughton & Milton Keynes Parish Council, together with the International Tree Foundation,

Greg Fairley from CTMK said: “Seed the future has taught each one of us that we can make a difference. We hope this initiative and our partnership with BAPS (MK) will transcend beyond the environmental benefit that these new trees will bring; we believe the greater result will be a CTMK that recognises our responsibility not only to the diverse people of our planet, but to the planet itself.”

The volunteers in Milton Keynes thoroughly enjoyed the planting of trees over two weekends at Middleton Wood Meadow in the presence of swamis from Neasden Temple.

Paramtattvadas Swami from Neasden Temple said “Trees hold great significance in Hindu culture as an embodiment of goodness and charity.

"They give more than they take, helping us breathe and flourish. And that is why the planting of trees is such a fitting way to celebrate the life of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who embodied goodness and selfless giving.

"In working with Community Trees Milton Keynes, we look forward to this partnership contributing towards a comprehensive tree-planting initiative that will have a lasting impact for local communities around the UK.”

Mrs Bhawna Derodra, a volunteer from BAPS MK, said: “This initiative marks the progress since His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj visited Milton Keynes in 1990. This is a testimony of his ethos 'In the progress of others rests our own' and his inspiration will pave the way for a sustainable future in the community."