Primary schools in South Ribble have received around 4,500 free trees through South Ribble Borough Council as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.

As delivery partners of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, the Council contacted all primary schools in the borough in July offering them the opportunity to receive free trees to plant a hedge, equivalent to one per child in the school.

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23 primary schools in the borough took up the opportunity and have taken in their deliveries of species including hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, rowan and bird cherry during the last few weeks, with Mayor of South Ribble, Councillor Jane Bell, delivering fruit trees to St Andrew’s Primary School in Leyland earlier this week.

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Mayor of South Ribble, Councillor Jane Bell said: “What a fantastic initiative to be a part of. It was lovely to see young people at St Andrew’s Primary School wanting to get involved in planting and they’ll be able to watch the seasons change and pick the fruit from the fruit trees that they have received. 

“It also helps towards the tree planting targets in the borough, which all contributes to tackling climate change and increasing biodiversity, which is so important.”

The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 which invites people from across the United Kingdom to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee.’

The official planting season is between October and March, so the schools have plenty time to plant their trees, and the Council have provided instructions on how to store them if they aren’t planted on delivery.

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Mrs Jayne Woan, Head teacher at St Andrew’s CE Infant School said: “We are delighted to have been gifted some trees as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. 

“We are planning on planting a mini orchard at the school. Hopefully some of the children will have green fingers!”

The planting of these trees will be another step forward to the council’s goal of 110,000 trees being planted in South Ribble by 2025.

Currently they are well on the way to the target with over 60,000 trees planted so far as a result of working with residents and other organisations.

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