THE QUEEN’S GREEN CANOPY

The Queen’s Green Canopy is a national initiative launched to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, inviting everyone across the UK to plant trees in celebration. Following the death of the Queen, the scheme was extended to create a living memorial to our longest-reigning monarch.

In 1957 the Queen commemorated her visit to Repton with the planting of an oak tree in the Precinct, and so it seemed entirely appropriate for us to mark her memory with another oak tree, this time in front of Chapel where a much-loved beech tree had recently had to be cut down because of disease.

It was a huge privilege to represent the School on this historic event. Sir Henry Every, Bt, former Chair of the Governors, regaled us with a few humorous anecdotes and intriguing facts, before we – Freya, the Headmaster and I – were invited to lay the first soil at the foot of the young tree, an English Red Oak (quercus rubra). We were honoured to be allowed to use the actual spade which the Queen herself had used in 1957 and which is normally kept in the School Archives. The tree should reach 40 ft in height and will be a lasting and beautiful reminder of the Queen ‘s service to the nation and her connection with Repton. This was an occasion that will remain etched in our memories forever.