Weston College have joined the national campaign to support the The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) - 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 Principal and Chief Executive Dr Paul Phillips CBE, was joined by staff and students to plant their first tree at the College’s South West Skills Campus on Locking Road, Weston-super-Mare. This is just one of many of the College’s green initiatives that ties in with its wider sustainability and social action framework. Also in attendance were Emily Burnell (Woods Project Coordinator at the Woodland Trust), Pete Lane (Horticulture Lecturer) and ex-students now working within Butcombe Farm’s philanthropic venture Uncle Paul’s Chilli Charity, working in partnership with the College, with its innovatively designed alternative outdoor classroom model - providing real world learning at the heart of the farms’ chilli cuisine production.  

Dr Phillips commented: “The Queen’s Green Canopy is a really interesting project and it’s one that everyone can get involved in. I would encourage all schools, businesses, community groups and members of the public out there now to really get behind this as we move towards the jubilee – its also a great chance to connect with each other and inspire young people as the future custodians of the UK’s green spaces, forests and woodlands. 

As a College, our wider sustainability work is leading the region whether this is working with businesses to create green apprenticeships, or supporting people to retain for green careers, we are supporting many organisations achieve the change required to collectively work towards ‘Net Zero’ - and this very much includes innovative  social action projects such as this one to build stronger, greener communities”.    

Visit www.queensgreencanopy.org to see who’s already planted in your area and how to pin your tree to the interactive Jubilee map, as well as to find out more information to engage with wider sustainability in support of Her Majesty the Queen. The best tree planting season is till the end of March, and restarts in October for the end of the year.