Lloyd's tackles climate change with poetry

Lloyd's has unveiled a new outdoor space for City workers and visitors that uses poetry to emphasise the importance of tackling climate change.

'Trees in the City' is a new Lloyd's project that aims to improve the quality of the City environment. To launch the project, Lloyd's has sponsored three elm trees and installed a new seating area by Fenchurch Street Station, London. Extracts from a series of new poems commissioned from three contemporary British poets form part of the new site's design.

Lloyd's is also using the new poetry to take its message on the importance of tackling climate change to primary and secondary schools in Tower Hamlets. The poets will conduct workshops in five schools throughout the year.

Lloyd's chief executive Richard Ward said: “Trees in the City is a great example of what can be achieved when the City works in partnership with the Arts and the local community. This project demonstrates our continued commitment to improving our local environment and raising awareness of the importance of tackling climate change. We hope that this is just the beginning of a series of projects to improve the environment in the Square Mile.”

Trees in the City was officially launched today by Richard Ward and poets Patience Agbabi and Matthew Hollis. Schoolchildren from Tower Hamlets also attended, having each written a wish for the environment on coloured tags attached to the trees.