A BOURNEMOUTH school will be taking part in a tree planting initiative called the 'Woodbilee'.
To celebrate the 2026 reforestation of Britain, along with The Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, nine-year-old Issey Purser and her mum Janine have come up with the idea of planting new woodlands around the areas of the 24,343 schools across the UK.
Issey’s school, Bethany C of E Junior School in Bournemouth will also be taking part in the initiative, which is to be called the 'Woodbilee'.
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Janine and Issey’s next step is to set up a charitable trust, to promote their project ‘Plant the World Green’, with the aim of all school children planting their own trees either in their school grounds, or creating a small coppice in their neighbourhood.
Janine said: “I think it is a wonderful idea that my daughter is taking a positive stance in planting trees, to save the country's wildlife. It is so important that the youth of today take a stand and are conscious of the plight of the planet."
So far Issey has received letters of agreement from The Queen, Sir David Attenborough and former Police frontman and musician Sting, amongst many more supporters.
Janine added: “Issey got the idea from her father’s creation of the Jubilee Woods Trust celebrating the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, when he planted a woodland with 300 school children from the areas of Sefton meadows, Maghull, Aintree and North Liverpool which gained the Queen’s seal of approval.”
Issey’s plan over the next 10 years is to help all the children to have the opportunity to plant their own tree.
“One of my favourite things to do is going for walks with my Daddy and my younger sister in the New Forest,” Issey said.
“I know how important it is for children to plant trees. It makes the world more beautiful and helps our lovely wildlife.
“It allows us all to breathe and for our animals to have a home.”
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