Royalty digs in to woodland project marking Cheffins' 200th anniversary

His Royal Highness planted a tree on the site, enjoyed a brief tour of the woodland and was introduced to Cheffins’ senior staff who shared the firm’s 200-year history and the environmental goals behind the project.

Located five miles from Cambridge city centre, the 2,500-tree woodland has been planted by Cheffins staff over five acres and is held on a 99-year lease. Made up of 12 different native deciduous trees and shrubs, the woodland represents Cheffins’ commitment to biodiversity and carbon capture.

Cheffins chairman Bill King told the Duke: “Your tree now stands not just as a symbol of sustainability and growth, but as an enduring marker of this special moment in our company history. As we celebrate our 200-year anniversary we knew we had to do something meaningful.

“So we decided literally to go back to our roots as a company born in the countryside and which still has rural living at our core. A woodland seemed like the perfect plan, so over the past year, our staff have planted 2,500 trees in this glorious Cambridgeshire countryside, with a rich mix of hornbeam, field maple, wild cherry, holly, lime and more.

“This is a real celebration of biodiversity. It allows us to reduce our carbon footprint, give back to the environment, and also create a habitat that in years to come, butterflies, birds and bees will be thankful for.”

The woodland is a part of a wider philanthropic aim for Cheffins in 2025, as the firm is also looking to raise £200,000 for charity, with the majority being donated to the Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust, to provide a new playroom for the Cambridge Children’s Hospital which is currently under construction.

King said this motivation had driven staff to new lengths to raise money for the hospital, with teams climbing the three peaks, walking the coast of Norfolk, running marathons, sky diving and organising what he called “wonderful fundraising events. We look forward to seeing the results of our efforts and seeing how they really will change the lives of the children in treatment.”

The lunchtime event also saw a flock of rare breed sheep, signifying Cheffins’ roots as livestock auctioneers when the firm was first founded in 1825 and the Cheffins’ “Charity Tractor,” a 1963 Fordson Super Dexta tractor, which will be sold at auction in October, with all proceeds direct to the Addenbrookes Charitable Trust. In addition, His Royal Highness was introduced to key Cheffins staff from the residential, commercial property, fine art and professional services departments.

To create the woodland, Cheffins has worked carefully with local stakeholders including Natural England, the Forestry Commission and The Wildlife Trust to ensure that the new woodland blends seamlessly into its surroundings, being linked to other existing wooded areas and, most significantly, to Fulbourn Nature Reserve.

Katie Hilton, Director at Cheffins and who led the project, comments: “The Cheffins woodland initiative enables us to contribute meaningfully to the fight against climate change. As the woodland matures, it will begin absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which is a process we can track through the Woodland Carbon Code. This allows us to measure the carbon captured by the trees and take the first steps toward generating independently verified carbon units to offset our emissions.”

You can join Cheffins’ efforts and donate to the Cambridge Children’s Hospital via https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/cheffins200years