A woman who divorced her ex-husband decades ago never believed she would marry again. Ann Deveraux married a mature tree at the age of 67 and found that she has gained more from the relationship than she ever did with her former husband.
Ann was one of 70 brides which took place in the marriage ceremony just over three years ago at Baltic Wharf. She joined others last month to see her tree-husband who is now around 35 years old.
“There is a commitment from both myself and the tree. The tree is there to give me shelter, air, food and sanctuary, which is not something I experienced in my marriage,” explained Ann.
Ann has always had a fondness for trees and has been involved in campaigns to save them in Bristol since the 1990s when she and others prevented a billionaire from felling trees on land he bought in Snuff Mills. But as part of the Baltic Wharf campaign she has taken her love a step further, by marrying one but it may be gone due to a housing development the group has been trying to prevent for several years.
The Baltic Wharf housing development for 166 new homes was approved in April despite a flood risk. Fifty homes are set to be for social rent and 16 shared ownership but the council who were going to buy the 66 ‘affordable’ homes at the harbourside scheme, recently announced that they are pulling out altogether.
While it is likely that a housing association will take the council’s place in the delivery of a number of affordable homes as part of the scheme, it is uncertain whether the current figures will be maintained. Ann does not believe that the development will deliver a sufficient number of affordable homes and believes that using Bristol’s empty homes for homeless people is a better way to meet the current need for housing in the city.
“We can’t trust that they would give the area to council tenants or use it for social housing, it’s a prime area for people with money and the council has pulled out because they haven’t got the money
“There are plenty of empty buildings that could be used for homeless people. We want housing and need housing but why not utilise empty buildings,” added Ann.