Luton Peace Garden initiative awarded Queen's Green Canopy 'Tree of Trees'

The Luton Peace Garden Initiative has been honoured with a special tree that was planted at the Wardown Park Arboretum.

The project was selected to receive this special ‘Tree of Trees’ as part of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Queen’s Green Canopy UK-wide tree planting initiative.

The Queen’s Green Canopy was a unique tree-planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. A field maple, the only UK native maple, was one of the 350 ceremonial trees from the ‘Tree of Trees' living sculpture outside Buckingham Palace during the Queen’s Jubilee.

Those 350 trees were gifted to selected community groups and organisations across the country to recognise their work and inspire the next generation of tree planters. Only three were awarded in the county of Bedfordshire.

The event was attended by Lord Lieutenant Mrs Susan Lousada, the High Sherif of Bedfordshire Lady (Jane) Clifford, Cllr Khatija Malik, Cllr Jacqui Burnett and Cllr Maria Lovell MBE.

Beech Hill Primary School pupils were also invited to the ceremony as one of their pupils – Hanah Miah – participated in all the tree planting. To date, 480 trees have been planted in Luton in Wigmore Park, Stopsley Common, Bells Park on High Town, Wardown Park, Pope’s Meadow, Mayne Avenue Hockwell Ring as part of the Peace Garden Initiative Project in memory of those lost to Covid-19 during the pandemic in Luton.

The project is also about supporting families across Luton in the bereavement process and bringing communities together and leaving a legacy for the future generation.

Key inviduals and supporters in the community were also present including the Councils of Mosques, Churches Together in Luton, Chalk Hill Academy, Inspire FM, Discover Islam, Friends of Wigmore Community Interest Luton and Luton Council Parks Services.If you are interested in joining the project email the Peace Garden Initiative at [email protected]