New Living Legacy Service Launches for Bench and Tree Dedications in Brighton and Hove
A dedicated bench overlooking Brighton seafront
Brighton and Hove has a new way to leave something lasting in the city. Brighton & Hove City Council has launched the Living Legacy service, replacing the old bench dedication scheme with a single service covering both benches and commemorative trees.
The idea is simple: honour a loved one, mark a birthday or anniversary, say thank you to someone special, or just give something back to the city, all through a permanent tribute in a park, on the seafront, or on-street.
"Commemorative benches and trees have long offered people a meaningful way to celebrate and honour important moments and memories. This new Living Legacy Service enhances that tradition by giving residents clearer choices, professional personalised guidance and a thoughtful, sustainable way to create lasting tributes."
That's Councillor Alan Robins, Cabinet Member for Sports, Recreation and Libraries, welcoming the scheme. Dedicated council officers will now guide donors through every step, from choosing a bench style or tree species to arranging the wording on a plaque.
Why people are dedicating a bench or tree
The council says a dedication is a meaningful way to:
- honour a loved one
- celebrate a birthday, anniversary or achievement
- say thank you to someone special
- support a greener, more welcoming city
Every dedication feeds into the council's wider push on the city's long-term social and environmental resilience, as well as leaving something residents and visitors can actually sit on, or watch grow. Living Legacy doesn't cover dedications in the city's cemeteries, that's handled separately through the council's memorials section.
Planting a living gift
Tree dedications increase tree cover and biodiversity, help improve air quality and climate resilience, and create greener streets, parks and community spaces. Each tree is planted in partnership with the council and cared for as part of the city's long-term environmental management, though trees can only be planted during specific seasons.
A few things have changed under Living Legacy: the council no longer offers on-street tree planting dedications, adoptions of existing trees are no longer available, and commemorative trees cannot have plaques. The council also asks that no plaques or ashes go with a dedicated tree, plaques can be bad for the tree itself, and ashes can change the soil composition and harm the local environment.
What a tree dedication costs
Dedicating a tree costs £720. That covers the tree itself, planting by council staff, three years of ongoing maintenance including 15 waterings a year, staking and repairs, and an optional dedication record, either online or as a printed certificate.
If the tree fails to take in its first year, the council will replace it free of charge. If it fails after two years, the council can charge for another donation as a replacement, and after three years the council has no further maintenance obligations. The tree itself doesn't officially become the donor's property, but is cared for on their behalf. Trees are sourced from the council's own suppliers for biosecurity reasons, so the cost can change year to year depending on supplier prices.
Species on offer depend on the size of park chosen. Here's the full list, starting with what's available in the city's largest green spaces.
English Oak (Quercus robur)
One of Britain's most recognisable native trees, the English Oak is available for dedication in the city's larger parks, where it has room to grow into its full broad canopy.
English Oak, a large park tree option, dedications cost £720
Lobel Elm (Ulmus lobel)
A tall, narrow elm suited to larger open spaces, offering height without spreading as wide as some of the other large-park options.
Lobel Elm, a large park tree option, dedications cost £720
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Known for its striking red autumn colour, the Red Maple is another large-park option for donors who want a tree that changes dramatically through the seasons.
Red Maple, a large park tree option, dedications cost £720
Scots Pine (Pinus Sylvestris)
An evergreen conifer that keeps its colour year round, the Scots Pine is one of the few evergreen options on the council's large-park list.
Scots Pine, a large park tree option, dedications cost £720
Broad Leaved Lime (Tilia platyphyllos)
A traditional avenue and parkland tree, the Broad Leaved Lime rounds out the large-park species list.
Broad Leaved Lime, a large park tree option, dedications cost £720
Trees available in medium parks
Liquidambar (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Also known as sweetgum, this species is prized for its vivid autumn colour, turning deep red before the leaves drop.
Liquidambar, a medium park tree option, dedications cost £720
Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)
A spring favourite, the Wild Cherry produces a mass of white blossom before coming into leaf.
Field Maple, a medium park tree option, dedications cost £720
Field Maple (Acer campestre)
Britain's only native maple, the Field Maple turns a warm gold in autumn and suits the city's mid-sized green spaces.
Field Maple, a medium park tree option, dedications cost £720
Silver Birch (Betula pendula)
Easily identified by its white bark, the Silver Birch is one of the most popular dedication choices for medium parks.
Silver Birch, a medium park tree option, dedications cost £720
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
Also called the mountain ash, the Rowan produces clusters of red berries in autumn that are popular with birds.
Rowan, a medium park tree option, dedications cost £720
Trees available in small parks
Red Filbert (Corylus avellana 'zellurna')
A hazel variety with deep red-purple leaves, the Red Filbert is one of the smaller options suited to compact green spaces.
Red Filbert, a small park tree option, dedications cost £720
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
A popular choice for its fine, delicate foliage that turns brilliant red in autumn, the Japanese Maple suits smaller parks and gardens.
Japanese Maple, a small park tree option, dedications cost £720
Youngs Weeping Birch (Betula pendula youngii)
A weeping variety of Silver Birch with cascading branches, one of five small-park options on offer.
Youngs Weeping Birch, a small park tree option, dedications cost £720
Weeping White Mulberry (Morus alba pendula)
A distinctive weeping form that gives it a dome-shaped canopy, standing out from the other small-park species on offer.
Weeping White Mulberry, a small park tree option, dedications cost £720
Japanese Hornbeam (Carpinus japonica)
A compact, tidy tree that works well where space is a little more limited but a dedication is still wanted.
If none of the listed species suit, the council says its team can help discuss and choose a species that's available and suitable for a donor's chosen location. A full list of parks available for donation planting is available on request, and the council also runs two dedicated donation woodlands, one at the Vale and Barhill Avenue open space and one at Rottingdean recreation ground.
Japanese Hornbeam, a small park tree option, dedications cost £720
New bench dedication options
On the bench side, the council has set out six budget options, each with a different look and total cost. Every option includes a bench, a stainless steel plaque, coloured slats, fixings and transport, so the price below is the full donation.
How to make a dedication
- Choose your dedication, tree or bench
- Send the council an email, using a different address depending on whether it's a tree or a bench
- Make a donation, which supports planting, installation and care
- Personalise the dedication, with wording options provided by the council
- The council works with its services and partners to make the dedication happen
The council says its team is there to help choose the right option and guide donors through each step, including any special requests.
Budget 1: Phoenix Recycled Material Seat
Total donation: £1,718. Includes brown Enviropol slats, a 140mm x 50mm stainless steel plaque, concrete surface fixing bolts and tamper resistant fixing covers.
Budget 1, the Phoenix Recycled Material Seat, total donation £1,718
Budget 2: Lowther Seat
Total donation: £1,982 (polycarbonate side photos are available as an extra for £250). Comes with a choice of black or brown Enviropol slats.
Budget 2, the Lowther Seat, total donation £1,982
Budget 3: Ellwood Countryside Seat
Total donation: £2,012. A plainer, countryside-style seat with brown Enviropol slats.
Budget 3, the Ellwood Countryside Seat, total donation £2,012
Budget 4: Phoenix Jubilee Recycled Material Seat
Total donation: £2,247. Available with black or brown Enviropol slats.
Budget 4, the Phoenix Jubilee Recycled Material Seat, total donation £2,247
Budget 5: Stanford Seat
Total donation: £2,366 (polycarbonate side photos available as an extra for £250). The most ornate of the six options, with brown Enviropol slats.
Budget 5, the Stanford Seat, total donation £2,366
Picnic Seat: Waddington Picnic Table
Total donation: £1,718. An octagonal picnic table option for donors who'd rather dedicate a table than a bench.
The Waddington Picnic Table, total donation £1,718
Renewing an existing bench, and plaque prices
Donors with an existing bench dedication can renew it for between £1,200 and £1,800, or between £850 and £1,150 if the dedication is shared. Existing benches themselves can no longer be adopted fresh, only renewed if already dedicated.
For additional or replacement plaques on their own, prices are:
| Material | Price |
|---|---|
| Bronze | £495 to £595 |
| Stainless Steel | £250 to £300 |
| Brass | £285 to £325 |
Plaque materials
Bronze, stainless steel and brass options for existing bench dedications
Where benches go, and the small print
Benches are installed in carefully selected public locations across the city, including many parks and green spaces, along the seafront and on-street, subject to availability and approval. The council can't guarantee a specific location, and may move a bench if it needs to, though donors will be told if that happens.
The council will provide wording options for plaques, but donors are responsible for the accuracy of the wording, and all wording, designs and locations must be approved before installation. Benches, plaques and sites remain council property throughout, with maintenance normally carried out no more than once every five years. If a bench is damaged and has to be removed, the council can't guarantee a replacement.
A dedication lasts for 10 years and is renewable. If a donor chooses not to renew after that, the bench becomes available for someone else to dedicate. It's part of a broader pattern of investment in the city's public spaces, alongside plans to redevelop the Kings Road paddling pool and playground.
Find out more from Brighton & Hove City Council
Living Legacy service → The council's full page on dedicating a bench or tree Tree dedication options → Full species list and where trees can be planted Bench dedication options → All six budget styles with full pricing