Family-owned Athena Care Homes has planted 5,000 trees in Kenya, Morocco and Madagascar in a drive to become more sustainable.
The business operates award-winning homes in Norfolk, Ipswich, Cambridgeshire, and Peterborough. Having established its first care home, Amberley Hall in Norfolk, in 2014, the company now owns and runs five homes.
Committing to reducing its impact on the environment, Athena has pledged to plant five trees for each resident who moves into one of their care homes across East Anglia. So far, Athena has planted 5,000 trees with environmental organisation Ecologi.
As a direct result of Athena’s contributions, Ecologi has been able to help with the restoration of forests in Kenya, save an endemic Moroccan fruit tree species, and plant mangroves in Madagascar.
James Eley, marketing manager for Athena Care Homes, introduced the tree planting scheme in 2021 to help offset the business’ carbon footprint. He said: “Sustainability is very important to us at Athena and we want to protect our environment wherever possible.
“The tree planting scheme allows us to off-set the impact we are having on our planet. It is, however, more than that. It creates a lasting legacy and our families who that those trees are planted in honour of their loved ones.”
