On 2 September 2024 the Mayor of Reigate, Eddy Humphreys, unveiled the tree map that had recently been installed in Colin’s Field. John Stephenson, Chairman of the Chipstead Village Preservation Society, paid tribute to Colin and Wendy Vaughan, both of whom still live in Chipstead, and reminded those who attended that Colin had bought the field in 1999 to create an arboretum. About ten tons of rubbish had to be removed from the nine-acre site and the undergrowth stripped away.

Many varieties of tres and shrubs were planted along with grass, bulbs and meadow flowers. In 2012 Colin Vaughan sold the field, which has become known as ‘Colin’s Field’ to the CVPS at a very generous price on the condition that the Society undertook the maintenance of the land. Since then the grass has been regularly cut, ragwort extracted and the field has been used extensively by the village especially for dog walking.

From L to R: Colin Vaughan, Simon Kolesar, Eddy Humpreys and Jon Grant

The tree map lists over 140 trees in the field – the trees are numbered and numbered tags have been nailed to the trees to allow them to be located by the adventurous.  The map was created and generously donated by Martin Wilkie who runs Unusual Exhibitions Ltd. He was assisted by Hal Appleyard an arboriculturist. Both Martin and Hal lived in Chipstead as children and attended the primary school on the High Road which has long since closed. The CVPS funded the metal frame.