We plant a tree for the Jubilee!

In glorious sunshine, students, staff and guests including Rod Walker, Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire, gathered at Abingdon & Witney College’s Common Leys Farm Campus in Hailey, Oxfordshire on Wednesday 23rd March to plant a Japanese Cherry Tree in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

This is part of a wider tree planting programme where a total of 70 trees will be planted this year at the college’s 60 acre farm.

Jacqui Canton, College Principal, said “It was an absolute honour to attend the tree planting ceremony this week as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative to mark the jubilee. A group of our Royal Horticulture Society course students ensured that we planted the tree properly, so we’re confident that it will benefit many future generations!”

Rod Walker, Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire said “The Common Leys campus of Abingdon & Witney College plants trees every year as part of its RHS Horticulture course but has pulled out all the stops in 2022 by planting 70 trees - one for each year of her reign - to celebrate HM The Queen's Platinum Jubilee. This is a most impressive Oxfordshire contribution to the Queen's Green Canopy initiative”.

The Queen’s Green Canopy encourages everyone to learn more about the best way to plant trees so that they survive and flourish for years to come. Trees and hedgerows must be planted with care, at the right time of year, in the right place and with species that are not prone to prevailing tree diseases.

The College will pin the tree on the official QGC map which will give an overall picture of all trees planted under the scheme nationwide.

The College is launching a “sponsor a tree” campaign to enable them to plant and care for additional trees on site. If you would like to find out more about this please email coral.ward@abingon-witney.ac.uk

At the time of the launch, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “Our trees stand at the frontline of our fight against climate change and by sustaining our beautiful countryside for generations to come, The Queen’s Green Canopy is a fitting tribute to Her Majesty’s years of service to this country. I urge everyone to get involved and ‘plant a tree for the Jubilee’.”