A ‘doctor of tree hugging’ on tap at this year’s Devon County Show, near Exeter, is welcoming visitors to his tree surgery with a difference.
Kenny Raybould, dubbed the show’s own doctor of tree hugging, will be at the Westpoint showground, Clyst St Mary, near Exeter, on Saturday, May 23, with the aim of connecting visitors to nature.
The ‘tree surgery’, with horticulturalist Kenny, who on Friday appeared as a guest on Radio 2 with Jeremy Vine talking about the art of tree hugging, is inviting show visitors to hug a specially-selected tree.
He said: “We’ve got lots of lovely trees on site but we have one in particular called Dorothy who I suppose is the star of the attraction. But we have lots of other trees as well. “
Tree huggers will be shown to a woodland area within the showground and encouraged to hug Dorothy, or another favourite tree, for at least seven seconds to get the full benefit.
Kenny said: “We usually have a mix of people. People that are sceptical, we’ve dubbed them all tree-lievers so they’re just enjoying the moment. Some will go ‘oh, I feel a bit silly’. For others they really embrace it, But if you’re stopping and giving it a go you’re connecting with the natural world and that’s what we want. People to step away from the heat of the day and just take a moment.”
He added: “A lot of people like to anchor themselves as well so they can connect to the ground while hugging the tree but I always find it’s whatever works for you. It’s what you feel comfortable with, just enjoying the moment and taking some time away from the madness of a digital world.”
If you cannot get to the show this year, Kenny has some tips for trying tree hugging at home.
He said: “Take in the tree. Your understanding of this tree is bigger than just the trunk you’re looking at. Look at the branches swaying in the breeze. Put your hand on the tree, stop, take very slow deep breaths then embrace with a big hug going all around the tree. Close your eyes and listen to the noises around you, the birds and the bees. If you wish to put a leg around the tree, put a leg around tree.”
Visitors will be invited to wrap their arms around an established Beech tree — hand‑selected by doctor of tree hugging Kenny.
Show organisers say Kenny’s ability to ‘feel’ the right tree makes him the perfect woodland matchmaker.
Kenny said: “What we are doing is leading people up to a designated zone within the showground and we’ve picked Dorothy out and it was one we picked the other week because she stood out and shone really brightly towards all of us.
“What we do is get people to stand up towards the tree and put their hand on the tree and just stop for a minute taking a deep breath, looking up at the tree, up at the canopy, taking it in and then going in, embracing for a hug, closing your eyes if you wish.
“We say a minimum of seven seconds because it breaks that kind of ‘oh, I feel a bit silly here’ and it just allows people to embrace it. But if you want to hug it a bit longer than seven seconds, by all means hug for 20 seconds or 30.”
And the feelings of the trees have been taken into consideration ahead of the hugging sessions.
Kenny said: “We’ll be putting simple protections in place — like soft matting to protect the tree’s roots — to make sure everyone, including the tree can enjoy the moment. It’s all about connection, care and leaving the tree as happy, if not happier, than we found it.”
Tree-hugging visitors wanting a keepsake of their connection can have a photo of their experience if they head to the woodland area between 12noon and 1pm on Saturday (May 23).
A spokeswoman for the county show said: “This new feature invites visitors to slow down, breathe deeply and rediscover the simple pleasure of being close to nature.”
