Three Gloucestershire organisations have been honoured with trees from the ‘Tree of Trees’ sculpture which formed the glorious green centrepiece to the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at Buckingham Palace in June.
Chipping Campden Cricket Club, Girlguiding Gloucestershire and Gloucester’s Friends of Hillfield Gardens are being awarded the trees to mark their outstanding contribution to the environment and their communities. They are among 300 organisations being honoured across the UK.
The groups were nominated by the Gloucestershire Lieutenancy and Lord-Lieutenant, Edward Gillespie said:
“We are delighted and proud that Gloucestershire will be receiving the prestigious gift of three ‘Tree of Trees’. Our three organisations have made a significant contribution to environmental improvement in this Platinum Jubilee Year. These special trees celebrate the dedication, enthusiasm and hard work of Gloucestershire community organisations which are working with women and girls, sport and in inner city Gloucester.”
Chipping Campden Cricket Club will receive a tree to mark the connection between cricket and her late Majesty the Queen and the late HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen attended many Test Matches and Prince Phillip was twice president of the MCC. His first term saw the 1949 initiative which opened up the game and championed youth cricket with no boundaries.
Chipping Campden Cricket Club, in the north Cotswolds, opened its new pavilion this summer. The building project was a community effort and the pavilion is now a focal point for the village. The investment has rejuvenated the club with Friday night training sessions attracting more than 160 junior players, aged from five to 15. Up to 100 parents attend the sessions, spectating and volunteering.
CCCC Chair, Richard Postins said:
“Chipping Campden Cricket Club is honoured to be receiving a tree from the Queen’s Green Canopy ‘Tree of Trees’. We are delighted to have been recognised for the huge strides forward we have taken over the past few years to encourage more girls and boys to get involved in the sport. Receiving this award will give great pride to our players, volunteers, parents, committee and trustees – and is a most fitting way to commemorate and remember our late Queen.”
In 1937, the then 11-year-old Princess Elizabeth became a Girl Guide and in 1952, her Majesty the Queen became joint patron of the Girl Guides with her mother. Girlguiding Gloucestershire has more than 5,000 members and 1,500 adult members and volunteers.
GG is rejuvenating its 50-year-old Activity Centre at Deer Park, Cowley with a new emphasis on the environment and re-wilding. Their ‘Tree of Trees’ tree will be a focal point for their environmental badge, which promotes practical care for the soil, wildlife and trees. GG is promoting the centre as an inclusive rural space for education, learning, cooperation and fun for everyone.
Emma Steel and Sue Cooper, Joint County Commissioners for Girlguiding Gloucestershire said:
“Girlguiding Gloucestershire is honoured and thrilled to be receiving a tree from the Queen’s Green Canopy Tree of Trees. As Patron of Girlguiding for more than 70 years, Her Majesty was very important to all our members as we all promised to serve her and our communities. This tree will serve as a fitting tribute to her.”
Gloucester city centre is a place of Royal pilgrimage. The city’s cathedral is the burial place of King Edward II, who died in 1327. Hillfield Gardens, in London Road is receiving a ‘Tree of Trees’ to mark this Royal connection. Hillfield Gardens are a green lung for the city and lie in Kingsholm, which is one of the poorest and most deprived districts in the UK.
Over the past 20 years, the Friends of Hillfield Gardens have cared for and improved this precious inner city green space. They have created a new sensory and woodland garden, which includes timber sculptures designed by local school children. There are regular community gardening sessions and a local hospital uses Hillfield for occupational therapy.
Friends’ chair, Julia Hurrell said:
“The Friends of Hillfield Gardens are so pleased to have had the Gardens chosen as the locations for one of the “Tree of Trees” from the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It is a great honour for the City of Gloucester. The Gardens are open all year round for the residents and visitors to come and see the tree.”
Tree planting ceremonies for Gloucestershire’s ‘Tree of Trees’ trees will be held later this year.