Queen’s Jubilee Tree Awarded to Bedford Borough Community Group

During Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee weekend in June 2022, a spectacular 21- metre "Tree of Trees" sculpture, which featured 350 British native trees, was created outside Buckingham Palace as the exciting centrepiece of the weekend's celebrations.

Designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick, the sculpture reflected the joyful Jubilee tree planting, which has swept the nation as part of The Queen's Green Canopy (QGC). Over a million trees were planted during the first season of the QGC, which took place between October 2021 and March 2022.

The 350 trees from the sculpture are now being gifted to community groups and organisations in order to celebrate their work and inspire the next generation of tree planters across the UK.

Bedford Borough Council have announced that the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire has awarded Queens Park Community Organisation one of the trees, after the Council nominated them as a recipient. This award is one of only three awarded across Bedfordshire and is well-deserved recognition for the group.

Dave Hodgson, Elected Mayor of Bedford Borough, said: "It's fantastic to hear that Queen's Park Community Organisation will be receiving one of the trees from the Tree of Trees sculpture, following our nomination. We hope that people who live in Bedford Borough will take the opportunity to visit the tree that will add so much value to our extremely rich local heritage."

Marie-Ange Comerford-Raillon, Director of Queen's Park Community Organisation said: "We are delighted to have been chosen to receive a tree of trees as part of the Queen's Green Canopy Award. Eric Masih, our Chair of Trustees and former High Sheriff of Bedfordshire worked with Bedford Borough Council to plant trees all around the Borough during the Queen's Green Canopy.

"Part of our green project is to empower and encourage schools and communities to work together to develop and maintain green spaces. We are currently working with the Eco-warriors and Gardening Club at Queen's Park Academy and the Queen's Park Allotment to prepare the school garden for winter planting as well as organising herbs gardens in different areas of Bedford in partnership with a range of different groups. We have recently started doing tours of the orchard, which has been planted with only native trees from Bedford and is open for anyone to come and visit."

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