‘PositiviTree’ planting in celebration of Dorset’s Care Leavers 

On Monday 28 October, a PositiviTree planting ceremony took place at County Hall in celebration of Dorset’s care leavers.   

The ceremony was led by Chair of Dorset Council, Cllr Stella Jones, and attended by Dorset Council’s elected members, employees, and care experienced young people. 

The tree planting ceremony marks 20 years of the National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum and aims to demonstrate: 

Our commitment to seeing care experienced young people grow and thrive 

Our commitment to growing our local offer to care experienced young people 

A magnolia tree was chosen by Dorset’s care leavers as their tree of choice. In some cultures, this tree is known to symbolise luck and stability, and it is one of the first trees to bloom in early spring, which some see as a symbol of new beginnings. 

Cllr Stella Jones, Chair of Dorset Council, said: “This tree has been planted to mark the 20th anniversary of the National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum and to show and grow our local offer to our Care Leavers. We are proud to be a part of this forum, who are working with care experienced young people to inspire the development of the best possible services and support.  

“The tree symbolises our aspirations for our care experienced young people and our determination to help them to grow and thrive, in their own time, and at their own pace. We hope, like this tree, that they will reach new heights and that each and every one of them blooms in their own and unique way.”  

During National Care Leavers Week, we are planning several events that celebrate our care experienced young people and shine a spotlight on some of their experiences, including a special exhibition at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery. The ‘We all Bloom Differently’ exhibition is FREE to attend and open to the public from Monday 28 October – Friday 1 November. Read more about the exhibition here.   

To find out more about Dorset Council’s local offer to care leavers, visit our website.