On Monday 7th February East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Horticultural Team organised a Tree Planting event at Shobnall Playing Fields. The team planted an avenue of 20 Hornbeam trees to create the Queen’s Jubilee Avenue to Commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee.
The Mayor of East Staffordshire, Councillor Patricia Ackroyd, joined the Horticultural team who were supported by volunteers including East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Deputy Leader for Leisure, Amenities and Tourism, Bev Ashcroft, Councillors Colin Wileman, Ed Barker, Adam Clarke, Mike Metcalfe, Shelagh McKiernan, along with Funeral Directors from Wellings Funeral Home in Derby Street, and a number of members of the general public who individually volunteered to help tree planting.
In Spring, following the planting, Wildflowers will be sown along the avenue of trees to create a beautiful floral display which will also attract bees and other pollinating insects.
This planting operation is one of many taking place across the borough at a large number of East Staffordshire Borough Council open spaces this winter. A number of volunteers have come forward to support the Horticultural team who are aiming to plant over 2000 trees this winter to support the council’s policy on Climate Change and Carbon Footprint reduction.
Councillor Patricia Ackroyd, Mayor of East Staffordshire, said: “this is a wonderful way for us to commemorate the Queen’s jubilee and play another small part in helping to improve our environment.”
Fiona Thompson, Senior Funeral Director at Wellings Funeral Home, part of Central England Co-op Funeralcare, said: “We were delighted to be asked to be involved in this special project, helping to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee and make a small contribution to improving the environment in the town which we are so proud to be a part of.
“We are always looking for ways in which we can get actively involved in the local community and we have lots of ideas for more events and projects during this special year which we will be looking to organise to further mark the Queen’s extraordinary commitment to our country.”
Volunteers interested in joining future planting projects can apply by visiting www.eaststaffsbc.gov.uk/open-spaces/volunteer
More projects to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee will be announced in due course.