WORCESTERSHIRE CCC cricket captain Brett D’Oliveira was on hand to help plant a series of Jubilee trees to restore an Edwardian avenue at Worcester Racecourse.
Brett – who is part of the city’s ‘cricket dynasty’ and the grandson of legendary England and Worcester all-rounder Basil D’Oliveira – joined Mayor of Worcester
Coun Stephen Hodgson and members of the local community to plant lime trees to form a grand avenue at Pitchcroft.
Worcester is a Champion City as part of Her Majesty the Queen’s Green Canopy which launched to celebrate some of the nation’s outstanding cities which have trees and woodland as a central part of their plans for green spaces.
The restoration of this special avenue reflects an extensive tree planting programme in Worcester, which aims to be carbon neutral by 2030.
D’Oliveira said: “It is an honour to have been invited to join the Mayor of Worcester and students from the University of Worcester for the planting of trees in recognition of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.”
Coun Hodgson said: “The city is known for its loyalty to the Royal Family and our reputation as a green city, one that enjoys more than 548 hectares of tree cover and nestles among some of the country’s most beautiful countryside, is growing all the time.”
In 2022, Worcester will plant trees at its seven Queen Elizabeth II Fields in Trust sites and also hold a special planting ceremony at King George V playing fields, named in memory of The Queen’s grandfather.
The latter will include the unveiling of a design feature from the winner of a public competition to be launched later this year by Worcester City Council.
The city recently planted 400 trees to mark the 400th anniversary of King James I putting his seal to the Charter that granted Worcester the rights and constitution that established the basis of its modern governance.
A further 1,500 saplings have just been planted to form a new edible hedgerow at the city’s Aconbury Orchard.
Later in the year a new woodland area will be created at Perdiswell in the north of the city with 1,000 new trees planted and a further 4,000 to follow before the end of 2024.
Henry Sandon MBE, antique expert and one of Worcester’s most famous residents, said: “As a keen archaeologist in days gone by, I was responsible for digging a great many holes in Worcester, looking for old pots.
“When I back-filled those holes, I never thought of sticking a tree sapling in each and many a new building went up instead.
“It is good to see my oversight now being corrected and to know that the people of Worcester will be able to enjoy many more beautiful trees thanks to this first-class idea.”
