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Takeaway trees
29/ 5/2006
THE manager of a fast food takeaway is helping to brighten his
customers' lives and lawns - by planting fruit trees in their
gardens for free.
By night, Tashek Shorkar Abu toils over pans of steaming baltis and
bakes countless pizzas and poppadoms.
By day, he turns his attention to planting the free gifts in his
customers' gardens in Bury, Greater Manchester.
Tashek, 32, (pictured right) known as Tash at Kyae's Pizza and
Curry takeaway in Tottington Road, Bury, says he began planting
fruit trees in Dhaka, in Bangladesh, as part of charity plantation
schemes.
The country is one of the poorest in the world and the trees
provide an invaluable source of food, income and timber, as well as
protecting the environment.
Every month, he buys a collection of different fruit trees using
tips and customer donations. Regulars can take away trees
themselves - or give Tash an address so he can plant them.
So far, around 80 trees have been planted in customer's
gardens.
Tash, who moved to Bury from London two years ago to work in his
brother Tarek's takeaway, said: "The environment is getting worse
every day.
"It is just a habit of mine. It is a nice thing to do. I have
planted around 200,000 trees in Bangladesh and I am continuing to
do it here in Bury."
Customer Stephen Pilkington, 47, of Walshaw, Bury, was stunned when
Tash offered to plant a fruit tree in his garden.
He said: "I thought I was in the wrong sort of shop at
first!"
Days later, Stephen arrived home from work to find a 6ft cherry
tree and a 6ft pear tree in his front garden. He said: "Apparently,
Tash has done the same to a lot of houses in the area. He just
asked for my address and said he would be round to plant the trees.
We didn't think that he would actually do it.
"He just loves the environment and feels it is his duty to protect
it. He is certainly brightening up the lives of residents."
Tash, who moved to Britain in 2001, said the plantation schemes
were vitally important in Bangladesh as they provided employment
and offered villages shelter and protection from mudslides and
hurricanes.
He added: "In the summer time in Bangladesh it gets very hot and
people suffer. Food is very expensive and hard to come by.
"Fruit trees provide an easy source of food and help the
environment."
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