The Olive School, Preston selected to receive a Queen’s Green Canopy Celebration Tree
Pupils at The Olive School, Preston planted a tree in the school grounds as part of the The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) scheme to mark Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
The Preston primary school is one of only 69 schools across the country to be gifted a QGC Celebration Tree, with plantings being led across the country by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenants.
Guests of honour Lord Shuttleworth KG, KCVO, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Lancashire, and Deputy Lieutenant and Chair of Star Academies Kam Kothia joined pupils, staff and the Chair of Governors at The Olive School, Preston and respresentatives from Star Academies – the multi-academy trust that operates the school – to plant an acer tree in school grounds.
The primary school’s tree was planted as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, which celebrates Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. The school Celebration Tree initiative aims to highlight the educational aspects of trees and the significance of giving young people access to nature, encouraging wider engagement with the QGC across the school curriculum.
Lord Shuttleworth and his Deputy Lieutenants Kam Kothia, Martin Ainscough and Gulab Singh were welcomed to the school by pupils and staff, where they were treated to performances by pupils, including speeches, recitations and a specially-written poem to celebrate The Queen’s 70 years of service.
The celebration tree was planted in the school grounds at its new purpose-built site in Fulwood, where the school relocated to in April 2021.
Parveen Yusuf, Principal of The Olive School, Preston, said that it had been an honour to take part in the Green Canopy initiative. She said:
“Our pupils and staff were delighted to have been joined by Lord Shuttleworth to mark this very special occasion. We hope that this tree will serve as a lasting reminder of Her Majesty’s incredible legacy for future generations of pupils. As a school, we are committed to educating our pupils about the importance of living sustainably and to making environmentally-friendly choices. Our celebration tree and the wider Queen’s Green Canopy initiative not only celebrate Her Majesty’s remarkable 70 years of service but also teach our children about the positive impact of trees on the environment.”
Lord Shuttleworth, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Lancashire, said:
“As Her Majesty’s representative in Lancashire, it is a very pleasant duty for me to present on Her behalf The Queen’s gift of a tree to The Olive School, Preston. This is part of the Queen’s Green Canopy to mark Her Platinum Jubilee and the school has been specially chosen to receive it.”
Imraan Patel, Chair of Governors at The Olive School, Preston, said:
“Through the school’s leadership specialism, we strive to provide our pupils with a breadth of activities and opportunities where they can exemplify our STAR values of Service, Ambition, Teamwork and Respect. This project is an ideal opportunity for the whole school community to engage in activities that focus on sustainability, the environment and the impact of our personal choices, whilst also providing an opportunity for pupils to learn about Her Majesty’s life and selfless service to our nation.”
The national Queen’s Green Canopy campaign – which invites people from across the United Kingdom to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’ – is encouraging individuals, community groups, schools and businesses to play their part in enchancing the environment by planting trees to create a legacy for future generations. Trees will be planted during the official planting season between October to March, and then commence again in October 2022 through to the end of the Jubilee year.
Her Majesty and The Prince of Wales planted the first Jubilee tree in the grounds of Windsor Castle in March, to mark the launch of the The Queen’s Green Canopy, which will also dedicate a network of 70 Ancient Woodlands across the United Kingdom and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.
Added By: Star Academies | Date Added: 19th Oct 2021 | Posted In: Latest News