"Throughout my childhood in Kingston we frequently visited Richmond Park where I encountered mature oaks and horse chestnuts and as a teenager I loved walking back home alone from church through Ham Common Woods. There were also a lot of mature trees in the garden at my grandparents in Hertfordshire, where we stayed every holiday and my brother and I spent a lot of time outside, making dens. I found that woods were places that I felt freer and their presence had a physical and emotional impact on me. Today I am grateful to live ten minutes walk away from Epping Forest, where I am able to be completely surrounded by ancient trees."
Fiona Fouhy 2025