Tree planted to honour mayor’s year in office

A tree has been planted by Councillor Jannetta Sosin to commemorate her year in office as the Mayor of Chelmsford.

She chose to plant a Aesculus indica (Indian horse chestnut) tree at Great Baddow Recreation Ground in her city council ward.

Native to the lower slopes of the north-west Himalaya, the Aesculus indica is a deciduous tree that grows alongside oaks, maples, birches and laurels.

It was first introduced to Britain in 1851 by Colonel Henry Bunbury, a British officer and enthusiastic plant collector who brought the seeds back from India and had them planted in his family’s garden in Suffolk. Of the seeds that germinated, one tree reportedly reached a height of 20 metres!

The striking flowers of the Aesculus indica bloom later than other chesnut trees, making this species a valuable resource for bees and other pollinators in our district.

During the tree planting ceremony on Thursday 12 February, the Mayor’s Chaplain, Reverend Canon Sebastian Harries of Chelmsford Cathedral, welcomed attendees and gave a reading before leading a prayer.

Councillor Rose Moore, Cabinet Member for a Greener Chelmsford then said a few words:

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“Species like the Aesculus indica thrive in rich, diverse forests where many different forms of life grow side by side. In that way, it mirrors our own human story – diverse communities, different backgrounds, all connected in ways that strengthen us. Planting this tree today is an act of celebration, and recognition that we, too, are part of a wider living world. The wellbeing of our communities and the health of our planet are intertwined, and moments like this remind us how important it is that we continue nurturing both.”

Councillor Rose Moore, Cabinet Member for a Greener Chelmsford

Following the planting, the parks team presented the mayor with a special inscribed spade to keep and remember her time in office. Councillor Sosin was elected as Chelmsford’s mayor in May 2025 and will continue in the role until May 2026.

Mayor Sosin planted her tree before receiving a special inscribed spade.

The mayor said of this special occasion:

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“I am delighted to have this young tree planted here in Great Baddow to remember my year as Mayor of Chelmsford. The Aesculus indica tree holds a very special place in my heart, and I will treasure being able to visit this one here in Chelmsford and watch it grow over the years to come.

“Plus, as a late flowering chesnut, I’m thrilled that once it matures it will provide much-needed nourishment for bees and other insects when they need it most.”

Councillor Jannetta Sosin, Mayor of Chelmsford

Mayor Sosin's Aesculus indica tree at Great Baddow Recreation Ground.

Planting trees for a greener Chelmsford

The mayor’s tree is one of 13,000 trees that the Parks team is planting this season as part of Chelmsford City Council’s greening programme. The team is now one tree off their 13,000 tree target, which will be planted by the end of February.

The greening programme is designed to significantly increase the amount of woodland habitat and proportion of tree cover in Chelmsford, and aims to plant one tree for every resident and at least three new trees for every new home built.

Since the programme began in 2019, the Parks team has planted more than 90,000 trees with the help of volunteers, schools, and local businesses.

Find out more at www.loveyourchelmsford.co.uk/green-living/greening-chelmsford