The Vice-Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire James Leavesley, DL has presented the National Memorial Arboretum with a special tree from The Queen’s Green Canopy ‘Tree of Trees’ sculpture which stood outside Buckingham Palace as a message of hope, regeneration and optimism to the Nation and the world as part of the Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrations earlier this year.
The Arboretum was one of over 300 organisations from across the UK who were selected to receive one of the special trees as a thank you for ‘all the valuable and tireless work that volunteers and individuals undertake for the benefit of their communities’.
The Arboretum’s ‘Tree of Trees’ was accompanied by a letter from Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and presented in a special Queen’s Green Canopy pot embossed with Her Majesty’s cypher.
Following the presentation, the ‘Tree of Trees’ was planted by James Leavesley, DL at the UK’s year-round place to Remember as part of the Arboretum’s own Queen’s Green Canopy, which includes a new avenue of trees unveiled at the Arboretum earlier this month on 7.5 acres of land donated by the Leavesley family. This new avenue is the first step towards creating an impressive new approach to the Arboretum, improving future visitor accessibility with new pedestrian and cycle route connections.
“From looking after over 400 memorials across our 150-acres of gardens, grounds and woodlands to sharing incredible stories of service and sacrifice through our rich visitor and learning programmes, our entire team works incredibly hard to ensure that the baton of Remembrance will be passed on to the next generation. We are all proud that our work has been recognised through the gift of this special tree,” explains Philippa Rawlinson, Director of the National Memorial Arboretum. “The tree is now part of our own Queen’s Green Canopy, a permanent and fitting tribute to Her Late Majesty The Queen, our former Patron, and a lasting tribute to Queen Elizabeth II’s extraordinary service to her country and her people.”
Launched in March 2021 when Queen Elizabeth II and the then Prince of Wales planted a tree within the grounds of Windsor Castle, The Queen’s Green Canopy began as a nationwide initiative to mark the Platinum Jubilee. The project was extended following the death of Her Majesty and now more than a million trees have been planted in her name across the Nation.
The planting of the ‘Tree of Trees’ at the Arboretum takes place during National Tree Week (26 November – 4 December), the UK’s largest annual tree celebration. Each year, the country’s conservation sector, volunteer groups and tree-lovers come together to plant thousands of trees to mark the start of the annual tree planting season.
