Marie-Claire Denyer

Marier-Claire Denyer - Various volunteer roles from 2016, now Head of Partnerships & Initiatives

Marie-Claire is our Managing Director. She has oversight of the charity’s whole operation, and direct responsibility for our public fundraising and the School Trees project. She tells me “I’m always itching to get something done, and happiest when I succeed. I love trying to increase the ratio of productive work to talking. I’m afraid I’m probably like that at home as well!” She is Lewisham born-and-bred and did French and English Lit at uni. “Since then, I’ve not used my French much but being a language student really helped my Reading and Writing!”

I ask Marie-Claire what trees mean to her. “Trees seem to keep giving back despite the way we treat them. In particular I'm a great fan of the beautiful yews and the therapy gardens at St Mary's church next to Ladywell Fields. The place has become a wonderful refuge for me, with its beautiful yew trees, and its inspiring theme that gardening is so great for mental health. It's a sort of Narnia with direct access from Lewisham High Street.”

“My love for trees has grown as I have, especially over the past few years when my work with STfL has taught me all the different ways that trees are integral to our lives. I feel trees to be strong and wise. Forgiving and supportive even. My favourite tree is the Indian Bean Tree Catalpa Bignonoides. I love the unassuming bean-pods hanging down, and the mass of light greeny-yellow leaves, like the sun is shining even when it isn’t.”

Marie-Claire was one of the charity’s first volunteers. She was part of the growth of the STfL project even before it had the name. She helped to create the way that council and community work together now for the good of everyone, planting street trees across the borough. It has been exciting but not always easy for charity and council to create new ways of working. Marie-Claire tries to keep in mind the wisdom of a headteacher she worked with on the School Trees Project: “One thing greater than human resistance to change is their ability to adapt to it.”