Banbury community groups plant 250 trees in country park to honour Queen Elizabeth II

Banbury Trees, Banbury Community Action Group and several other local community groups were joined by Oxfordshire's Lord-Lieutenant and representatives from Cherwell District Council to honour Her Majesty and support the fight against climate breakdown by planting the trees in Banbury Country Park.

The 250 native trees were planted in a ceremony that took place next to the country park's stunning lake, where species such as English oak and hazel were planted.

Banbury Trees' volunteer coordinator, Tila Rodriguez-Past, said: "It gives me hope to see many community volunteers and organisations working in symbiosis to create positive change for our children's future. Let's create more urban green reach spaces, especially in marginalised communities that lack access to natural environments."

The cost of the trees was covered by Ridge Clean Energy, an Oxfordshire renewable energy company, and the trees, tree guards, and stakes were provided by the district council.

As part of the Green Canopy initiative, new UK citizens who settled in Oxfordshire in 2022 were presented with a sapling of a native tree species by the Oxfordshire Registration Service and the Oxfordshire Lieutenancy.

Each citizen could choose to donate their tree for planting on their behalf or accept a sapling at their citizenship ceremony to plant in their own garden or local green space. Some of the trees planted in the ceremony were donated by new Oxfordshire citizens.