MELKSHAM Town Council has kick-started its tree planting campaign to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
A single oak tree was planted in King George V playing filed, close to the park’s entrance on Lowbourne, which will be one of many trees planted across the town as part of the ‘Queen’s Green Canopy’ – a tree planting scheme in honour of the Jubilee .
The town council has ringfenced £15,000 to spend on trees, which will help fund a tree planting scheme for residents later in the year, and plant more trees in the King George V playing field. It has been proposed to focus on planting around the fencing of the dog park, located next to Clackers Brook, which is prone to flooding.
To mark the start of the campaign, councillors and town council staff attended a tree planting ceremony, also attended by the town crier, Peter Dauncey. The event was held on 11th March – the 70th day of 2022 – a day chosen by the National Association of Civic Officers for parish, town, district, borough city and county councils to launch their Jubilee tree planting schemes.
“Melksham Town Council will be working with groups, individuals and landowners to plant a significant number of trees this year,” said town crier Peter Dauncey at last week’s ceremony, “and today, members of the council are planting a single English oak tree to initiate a year of tree planting, as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy.
“The council will be inviting residents of Melksham to take part in local tree planting schemes throughout the year, and we look forward to enhancing our beautiful town with even more trees, to tackle the climate emergency, to increase biodiversity and to provide a lasting legacy of environmental responsibility for generations to come.
“We do this in the name of Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II. God Save the Queen!”
The town crier’s message was followed by an impromptu sing-a-long, with councillors and staff belting out a rendition of ‘God Save The Queen’!
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