The Bishop and the Lord-Lieutenant at Laughton for the Queen’s Green Canopy

The Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex and the Bishop of Chichester took part in a commemorative tree planting at Laughton for the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC). This was to mark the start of planting over 100 trees, to commemorate The Queen’s reign, involving the local community and Laughton Community Primary School. The oak and hazel trees were planted on 9 December, on glebe land adjacent to Laughton Church.

The land belonging to the church has been handed over for public access and is already being enjoyed by pupils from the school who helped choose what trees would be planted. They researched a variety of suitable trees and came up with a collection of design ideas for the planting layout as part of a whole school project.

The trees were planted jointly by the Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex Mr Andrew Blackman and the Bishop of Chichester The Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner, both of whom spoke of their enthusiasm for the project.

Dr Warner said ‘The Church of England diocese had been keen to find suitable land for Queen’s Green Canopy tree planting and Laughton’s glebe field fitted the bill. The vicar there, Geoffrey Smith, and the Laughton Community Primary School Headteacher Rachel West have provided strong leadership for the project and the community involvement is invaluable. Their work has led to this exciting new area of tree planting which we are celebrating today.’

The Lord-Lieutenant said ‘It was inspiring to hear the school children share their hopes for the new trees. They will be here to nurture the young saplings and to see them flourish and mature. The Queen’s Green Canopy is a unique tree planting initiative, which invites people and organisations from across the United Kingdom to plant a tree in memory of The Queen. It allows everyone to celebrate Her late Majesty’s remarkable 70 years of service, and to upload a photo of their contribution to the national map.

‘Everyone, from individuals to groups, villages, churches, towns, schools and other organisations is encouraged to play their part to enhance our environment by planting trees during the official planting season up to the end of March.’

By inviting everyone to plant new trees, the QGC seeks to highlight the significant value of trees and woodlands as nature’s simple but highly effective way to clean the air we breathe, slow the impact of climate change, create important wildlife habitats and improve our general health and wellbeing.

The main planting at Laughton is scheduled for 27 January 2023, providing an opportunity for the wider community and all the children in the school, to come together to plant the remaining trees. Local people have already worked together for the project including supplying free trees, helping with planting, and a donation from Sam Spiers of Town and Country Trees of wood chippings to mulch around the saplings. Simon Weller and a team of metal detectorists even scoured the glebe field and displayed their historic finds in the church at the event.

The Queen’s Green Canopy was an initiative close to The late Queen’s heart in her Platinum Jubilee year and has been extended to allow tree planting in Her Majesty’s memory until March 2023. It’s simple to take part and to upload your planted tree(s) to the digital record of trees planted in The Queen’s name across the country: queensgreencanopy.org/qgc-map/ If it’s not on the map it won’t get counted!

For more information on the QGC in East Sussex and how you can take part see Queen’s Green Canopy | Action in rural Sussex