Children at Widcombe Junior School in Bath have planted a very special tree as part of a national initiative to launch The Queen’s Green Canopy, which invites people across the United Kingdom to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’.
Next year will mark 70 years since HM The Queen came to the throne – the longest reigning monarch in our history.
HM Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset Annie Maw joined children at the Pulteney Road school, along with Bath & North East Somerset Council leader, Councillor Kevin Guy and Councillor Jess David, cabinet assistant for Neighbourhoods, at the special ceremony which saw a Pyrus Chanticleer Pear tree planted in the school grounds.
“We were thrilled to be selected as one of the 70 primary schools in the country to take part in The Queen’s Green Canopy,” said Claire Taylor, Widcombe Junior School headteacher. “Young people are the future custodians of our green spaces and this is a very special way of helping them learn and understand the importance of trees and looking after our environment.”
HM Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset Annie Maw added, “I am really pleased to be able to gift this beautiful Celebration Tree on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen to Widcombe Junior School, as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. The tree planting season for this year began in October, and we are already seeing a number of projects getting under way all around Somerset. As someone who is personally wholly committed to the project, I very much hope that schools across the county will follow suit enthusiastically and plant their own trees.”
Councillor Kevin Guy said,: “This is a wonderful initiative which not only celebrates Her Majesty the Queen’s long reign but also has a positive impact on the environment. Trees are so important in improving air quality and helping to combat the climate emergency. Every tree really does count as part of our collective efforts to improve our environment.”
The Queen’s Green Canopy is gifting 70 Celebration Trees to selected primary schools. Also, as part of the QGC’s education programme, a special national edition of the RFS Junior Forester Award has been created for the Jubilee year.
The QGC Junior Forester Award aims to inspire knowledge of the benefit of trees and equip young people with the practical ability to assist in woodland management in their schools and local communities
The QGC is encouraging all schools to get involved in planting Jubilee trees, with free tree packs available through the Woodland Trust and The Conservation Volunteers.
The QGC encourages tree planting to take place during October to March, to optimise the chance of trees surviving. All Jubilee trees can to be added to the QGC Map https://queensgreencanopy.org/map-education-hub/ which will create a digital record of the green canopy of tree planting projects across the country.