Students at Cardinal Newman Catholic School were pleased to receive the gift of a new tree, in recognition for their work on environmental projects.

Coventry’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Kevin Maton, along with Coventry’s Park Rangers, recently presented and helped students plant the tree on their grounds as a legacy for future generations.

The new tree is a Whitebeam (sorbus aria) and was donated to Coventry by the Queen's Green Canopy – a nationwide initiative created to mark the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, which has been extended by His Majesty King Charles.

The Lord Mayor said: “It’s an honour to be able to gift this tree to students of Cardinal Newman for all of the hard work they have shown in helping our environment.

“The tree is a fitting gift and reminder of the efforts they have and continue to put in to reducing the impact on the environment that we all make.”

The school has been involved in tree planting projects in Coundon Park nearby, to help the city achieve the planting of a Tree for Every Citizen. They have also helped the Rangers on other projects in the area over many years.

Rhys Davies, teacher and environmental project lead at the school, said: “It is an honour to receive this gift in recognition of the environmental work pupils have done inside and outside of school over the last few years.

“The pupils at Cardinal Newman take great pride in their Peace Prayer garden, school grounds and the Peace Orchard we have helped develop in Coundon Park. The pupils enjoy using them and taking their learning outside the classroom.”

The council is planting a mix of native species to create new woodland in many locations across Coventry and so far have planted over 40,000 trees. Over the next 10 years it aims to plant 360,000.

*Cardinal Newman Catholic School have been featured on the RHS Campaign for School Gardening website.

Read the heart-warming story of the Coventry Peace Orchard, set up by Cardinal Newman Catholic School and late World War II Veteran Dennis Davison, here