‘Branch boys’ have been clearing debris for days after a storm: ‘Give them a medal!’

When the reporter walks along to the forest, the boys are curious whether the tree has already been picked up by green management. “Nope, it’s still there!” Dynand shouts from a distance. He points: “Look, on the left the trunk itself and on the right the remains that we sawed off the tree.” It’s a huge pile that they’ve obviously put a lot of work into.

Big days

Owen agrees: “I think we worked hard for four or five days, about four hours a day. Lugging, sawing. It was a good day. There were big branches attached to it. That’s good sawing.”

A cyclist sees the boys and stops for a moment. Grinning: “Yesterday I saw them working too. I thought it was youth work!” He is full of praise for the action of the boys: “If all youth are structured like these two boys, then we have a good future! Then the Netherlands will be well off.”

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Owen and Dynand are with the youth fire brigade of Purmerend. Helping if necessary, that’s what the boys do. “I was at school during the storm,” says Dynand. “We were not allowed to go home. The next day we saw the trees and then we thought: ‘Take it away!’ Then we help the municipality and the people who want to pass by.”

It was noticed by several people. A passer-by was so pleased to see that he devoted a Facebook post to it, which received a massive response. ‘These two young heroes deserve a medal!’, was read, among other things.

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“But also by the people who cycled past and saw us,” says a proud Dynand. “People came to bring us all things: drinks, food. To support us!” Owen: “That this would be appreciated so much, we didn’t expect that.”

Now that this project has been completed, the boys are looking further. Owen: “If it’s up to me, we’ll continue with it. As long as the municipality doesn’t clean it up, we can do it. And we also enjoy doing it.”