A Tufnell Park resident has saved her ‘family legacy’ fig tree from the axe.
Shirley Murray of Tufnell Park was told in September by Clarion Housing that a fruit tree in her garden would be removed because its roots had compromised the integrity of a nearby wall, posing a potential health and safety risk.
In September, Ms Murray spoke to the Islington Tribune where she urged the housing association to reconsider its decision, saying that the tree was “all she had left” of her late grandmother.
Clarion Housing recently confirmed that alternative arrangements had been made to repair the wall without removing the tree.
They said: “We’re pleased to confirm that following further inspections by our surveyors, there are no plans to remove the resident’s tree.
“We’ve updated the resident directly and separate works have been raised to repair the cracks to the front wall.”
Ms Murray said that the tree, planted around 50 years ago, represented “part of her family’s legacy” and was crucial to the local ecology.
“The tree means a great deal to me,” she said. “It was planted by my grandmother whom I adored.
“She was a warm, generous person who loved feeding anyone who dropped by – friends, neighbours, even strangers sometimes.
“So it feels incredibly fitting that she chose to grow trees that continue to nourish both people and wildlife.”
The fig tree originally grew from a single cutting gifted to her grandmother by another relative.
“It’s not just a tree, it’s part of my family’s history, and a living reminder of my grandmother’s kindness and care,” said Ms Murray.
Odhran Gallagher is an MA Newspaper Journalism student at City St George's, University of London.