A former prisoner who has turned his back on a life of crime is aiming to bring hope to others by planting 70 trees in the grounds of HMP Leyhill, Gloucester.

David Haze, 37, from Bournemouth, turned his back on a life of crime after serving three years at HMP Guys Marsh, Dorset for burglary and handling stolen goods.

A former forex trader in London, David turned to crime and drugs after losing his well-paid city job, ending up with two stints in prison.

In an effort to turn his life around, David took to the water in a bid to reconnect with the natural world and has since gained seven world paddleboarding records. He is now preparing for his eighth.

On 14 October, David will fly to Reykjavik and on to Egilsstaðir in a bid to cross Iceland’s longest lake, Logurinn, in less than six hours. His 3,800km return flights will rack up 322kg of CO2 emissions and so, to offset this, David has teamed up with The Woodland Trust to plant the trees.

David will plant a variety of species, including alders, common beech, common osier and field maple “to create a green space in an environment surrounded by so much failure and negativity to inspire growth, rehabilitation and connect with nature.”
He hopes that the trees “will give hope to others who are in the same position I was.

“The great outdoors and nature have completely transformed my life and I hope I can pass this on and help others get through some of the most difficult times in their lives.”

David’s Icelandic challenge comes hot on the heels of a recent 70-mile circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight – which was entirely carbon neutral – and is sponsored by leading UK-based environmental technology company Oscar Propulsion.