Two people with a 100-year age difference have joined together to plant a tree to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Bertie Brewer, aged one, who attends Taunton School Nursery, helped 101-year-old Jim Booth dig and plant the tree as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy. Bertie’s two older sisters, Ottilie, six, and Florence, three, also joined in with the ceremony at Taunton School, along with the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Annie Maw.
Mr Booth, a war veteran and former Taunton School organist, said: “This is a lovely thing for children to be a part of. I’m a great supporter of the Queen and it’s a good idea to plant trees for her Jubilee.”
Mrs Maw said: “The children did really well. I hope they will be able to remember this as it’s a milestone in their personal stories. “I hope they will come back in 50 years to visit the tree they planted and see how it’s grown.”
Mrs Louise Leah, Head of Taunton School Pre-Prep and Nursery, said: “It was a poignant and thought-provoking moment to see Jim and Bertie come together in recognition of the Queen’s 70th year on the throne. To think that there’s a 100-year age gap is remarkable. “It’s wonderful to see people from different generations join forces as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy project.”
The Queen’s Green Canopy is a nationwide celebration to ‘plant a tree for the Jubilee’ in order to benefit future generations.
Taunton School is inviting local people to sponsor a tree at the Staplegrove Road as part of a project to create a green area to help the school towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral. The project also marks the departure of Headmaster Lee Glaser, who leaves the school this summer after 13 years.
To find out more about the ‘Leave Your Mark’ campaign, visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/leaveyourmark
