Trees Planted at Schools to Commemorate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

The Henley Mayor visited schools in Henley yesterday to ‘top-off’ the Native Rowan trees which have been planted to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and her initiative to encourage people to plant a tree for The Queen’s Green Canopy last year.

Henley Mayor, Councillor Michelle Thomas said, “This was her greatest wish when we went into her Jubilee and we weren’t expecting her death in September so before we got the plaques printed we had to get the wording agreed by the Lieutenancy.  We had to wait until now too as it is the right time of year for planting trees.”

Luke McGurk from Henley Town Park Services who planted the trees said, “Native Rowan trees are brilliant.  They’ve got really lovely berries for the birds and animals and they are a really nice colour even when the leaves turn in the Autumn.  Ecology and environmentally they are just brilliant trees and they don’t grow too big.”

Badgemore School Headteacher, Tim Hoskins said, “It’s great to be part of this and recognise what the Queen has done for the country for a long time but also that this tree is going to be around for a very long time and the children will be able to remember this and it will be a talking point for the future.”

Zino, Year 6 pupil at Badgemore said “It’s good to remember the Queen and her important role.    Trees are good for letting us live and providing oxygen for us.”

Catharine Darnton, Headteacher at Gillotts School added, “It’s tremendously important to mark the Platinum Jubilee.  I vividly remember the Silver Jubilee when I was at primary school and it was a massive celebration so I’ve got that real connection with my school days and how much it was marked.  We are incredibly appreciative of our beautiful site and we’ve inherited so many beautiful trees and we’ve looked after them as best we can.  We’ve lost a few along the way, to put another one back is a fantastic thing to do.  We’re also planting another 420 hedgerow saplings which are all part of our eco project.”

Other trees were planted at Sacred Heart, Valley Road and Trinity.  St Mary’s have donated their tree to Henley College as they don’t have any room in their grounds to plant one.