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Alumnus funding supports Cherry Tree & Arboretum placement student
The Phil Davies Fund was created by alumnus Professor Phil Davies in support of Keele’ s Arboretum and National Collection of Flowering Cherry Trees. In 2026 this funding will also support the first ever Cherry Tree Assistant, a fully – funded placement opportunity for a current student in Life Sciences.
Placement student Elliott Walton( pictured above), who will act as the Cherry Tree Assistant, will be photographing the cherry blossoms to create 360-degree views of the trees in flower and adding digital integration, allowing the blossom to be viewed all year round on a smartphone. This is all part of a wider project to create a virtual blossom journey for those who cannot get to physically see the trees in flower in the spring.
Dr Sarah Taylor, incoming Curator of Keele’ s National Collection, says:
“ As well as additional support for the arboretum team, this is a fantastic opportunity for Elliott. The wider Cherry Tree Group are looking forward to supporting Elliott in this initiative and hope that this marks a new period of increased student engagement with both the collection and the arboretum.”
Looking ahead to starting the placement, Elliott says:“ I am a 2nd Year Ecology and Conservation student with a long-standing passion for photography and preserving nature, and I am honoured to be part of such a landmark project. I hope to be an integral part of the team and, whilst developing my knowledge, make a meaningful contribution assisting with our cherry tree collection here at Keele University. I wish to express my thanks for this role being graciously funded, as it will help finance the development of my long-term career goals within this field”.