PRESS RELEASE : Planting of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Coppice, Derbyshire [October 2022]
The press release issued by Derbyshire County Council on 21 October 2022.
Six trees from the iconic ‘Tree of Trees’ gifted to Derbyshire by the Queen’s Green Canopy and dedicated to organisations and schools across the county have been planted at Shipley Country Park to create a coppice in memory of Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
At a ceremony held this week (Tuesday 18 October) at the country park, which we run, the 6 trees, along with a 7th courtesy of His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire, were planted to create The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Coppice, Derbyshire.
The Queen’s Green Canopy is a nationwide tree-planting initiative launched by Her Majesty to mark her Platinum Jubilee.
The ‘Tree of Trees’ stood in front of Buckingham Palace at the height of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London in June and was seen on TV by more than one billion people worldwide.
The trees have been dedicated to 6 Derbyshire organisations, schools and groups following recommendations made by the Derbyshire Lieutenancy which helped to secure the trees for the county from the Queen’s Green Canopy.
The 6 Derbyshire recipients are among more than 300 organisations to receive a tree from the Tree of Trees or have one dedicated in their name.
Tuesday’s ceremony at Shipley was attended by His Majesty’s Vice-Lord Lieutenant Colonel John Wilson OBE DL, Chief Executive of The Queen’s Green Canopy Colonel Dan Rex MVO, Lead for The Queen’s Green Canopy in Derbyshire Brell Ewart DL and Derbyshire County Council Leader Councillor Barry Lewis.
Civic dignitaries and councillors representing all Derbyshire districts also attended the event, along with representatives from organisations, groups and schools having a tree dedicated to them, and school children from nearby Cotmanhay Junior School.
The Derbyshire recipients who have a tree dedicated to them are:
- Alfreton Park School, Alfreton
- Buxton Mountain Rescue Team, Buxton
- Derbyshire County Council Children’s Homes
- Derbyshire Federation of Women’s Institutes, Derby
- Landmarks Specialist College, Eckington
- The Royal School for the Deaf, Derby.
The 6 trees that have been planted are hornbeam trees which are known to prosper and thrive in the county’s climate and soil. The 7th tree, a copper beech, was planted in the centre of the new coppice. With the added 7th tree there is 1 tree to represent each decade of Her late Majesty’s historic 70-year reign.
His Majesty’s Vice-Lord Lieutenant Colonel John Wilson OBE DL said:
“The Platinum Jubilee was very much celebrated across Derbyshire and tree planting for the Queen’s Green Canopy has been a very important part of those celebrations. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Coppice provides a great focal point for the people of Derbyshire; it is a permanent reminder of the unique Platinum Jubilee celebrations, and of the life and incredible untiring service to us all by Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.”
Derbyshire County Council hosted the event, and Leader Councillor Barry Lewis said:
“Derbyshire is extremely privileged to be receiving these 6 very special trees from the Tree of Trees.
“We are very grateful to The Queen’s Green Canopy and to the Derbyshire Lieutenancy, and it was a proud moment to be a part of the ceremony to create this wonderful legacy to Her Majesty and for our county.”
Chief Executive of The Queen’s Green Canopy Colonel Dan Rex MVO said:
“We are proud to unveil this nationwide network of organisations chosen to become custodians of these special trees in Her Majesty’s name. In recognition of the positive impact that they have on their communities, the groups chosen represent the very best of Britain.
“The Queen’s Green Canopy hopes the trees will serve as an inspiration for tree planting within communities and to encourage care for the trees which already exist as part of our nation’s stunning landscape.”
Headteacher at The Royal School for the Deaf in Derby, Paul Burrows, said:
“It is a true honour to have a tree dedicated in memory of Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Coppice. It recognises the work of the Royal School for the Deaf, Derby, and the important status of the Deaf community in Derbyshire.”
Chairman of the Derbyshire Federation of Women’s Institutes Chrissie Booth said:
“It was a great honour and privilege to be chosen as one of only six charities and organisations in Derbyshire to plant a tree in Shipley Park, in respect of the Queen’s Green Canopy Platinum Jubilee project. It now has more poignancy to us in view of Her Majesty’s recent death.
“Derbyshire Federation of Women’s Institutes are also delighted to receive a Cyphered original pot with a hornbeam sapling to plant at another site, kindly donated by Derbyshire County Council, and this will be a lasting memory for decades to come.”
Landmarks Specialist College Principal Larry Brocklesby said:
“Landmarks Specialist College are thrilled to have a tree dedicated as part of Her late Majesty’s Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. This living legacy continues to play an important role highlighting the conservation challenges facing our world.
“Our special tree in Shipley Country Park will enable our learners to relate their understanding of local conservation to this much wider and far-reaching ambitious initiative. We would like to thank the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire for her very kind nomination.’’
Headteacher at Alfreton Park School Josie O’Donnell said:
“We are a school which strives to educate our pupils on fundamental British values and it means the world to us all at Alfreton Park to have something as special as a tree from Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations dedicated to us. We are so grateful for the nomination and will cherish it for years to come.”
Former Chairman of the Buxton Mountain Rescue Team Rick Mobbs said:
“We are very pleased to be honoured in this way and have one of these special trees dedicated to the Buxton Mountain Rescue Team.
“We shall be planting the sapling given to us in the Dove Holes Community Association gardens in memory of Her late Majesty.”
While the original Tree of Tree trees have been planted in The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Coppice, the 6 organisations and schools received the original aluminium pot embossed with Her Majesty’s Cypher that held their tree and we gave them a sapling to plant themselves.
