Green-fingered Northampton residents among the first in the county to plant a tree for the Queen’s Jubilee

Residents at a Northampton care home took part in a tree planting ceremony.

A group of green-fingered Northampton residents are among the first to officially ‘plant a tree for the Jubilee’ to mark the Queen’s Platinum celebrations next year.

Gardening club members at the Hawthorns Retirement Village in Upton planted an oak tree as a lasting legacy in honour of Her Majesty’s ascension to the throne nearly 70 years ago.

The residents marked the momentous occasion recently with an official ceremony, joined by the Deputy Lieutenant for Northamptonshire, Caroline Brocklehurst.

Councillor Pinder Chauhan, who is heading the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative at WNC, said: “Planting a tree is a great way of bringing people together to commemorate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, as residents at Hawthorns have shown.

“The best thing about it is that anyone can get involved, whether you’re a local community group looking to mark this historic occasion, or a resident keen to plant your own personal Jubilee keepsake in your back garden.

“Everything you need to know about getting involved – including what kind of trees to plant and how to do it – is available on the Queen’s Green Canopy website and I’d encourage everyone to take a look.”

With the tree-planting season now fully underway, communities across West Northants, from schools, clubs and businesses to families and individuals, are also being encouraged to get involved as part of the national Queen’s Green Canopy Initiative.

West Northamptonshire Council is working with the Northamptonshire Lord Lieutenant’s Office to help galvanise tree-planting activities across the area in the run-up to Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.

Schools and community groups are invited to apply for free saplings from The Woodland Trust through its website for planting from this month through to March.

The initiative also offers a way for families and individuals to mark the jubilee with their own, sustainable souvenir growing in their garden which they can then officially map on the Queen’s Green Canopy website.

Arrangements are also underway by the council to celebrate the Queen’s Green Canopy with a range of further tree-planting initiatives in the run-up to next year’s Jubilee celebrations.

Find out more details about tree-planting and permissions on the council's website.