UK FAITH LEADERS SUPPORT THE QUEEN’S GREEN CANOPY

Faith Leaders from across the UK, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby, are urging faith communities to plant trees in honour of Her Majesty’s lifetime of service to the nation, through The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative which was launched on Monday.

In a special video message, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the leaders from the Buddhist Society, the Interfaith Council for Wales, Al-Khoei Foundation, Nishkam Centre, the Church of Scotland, the United Hebrew Congregations of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, the Hindu Council UK, the Moravian Church of Northern Ireland, and the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, encouraged people to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee” in 2022.

The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) initiative is a unique, UK-wide tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is Patron of the QGC and planted a tree in the grounds of Windsor Castle with Her Majesty earlier in the year to mark the start of the project.

Everyone from individuals to Scout and Girlguiding groups, villages, cities, counties, schools and corporates will be encouraged to plant trees from October 2021 when the tree planting season begins, through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022. The countdown to planting season begins now, giving people time to plan their planting projects.

As well as inviting the planting of new trees, The Queen’s Green Canopy will highlight and showcase 70 irreplaceable Ancient Woodlands across the United Kingdom and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.

The QGC project will also create a pilot training programme for unemployed young people aged between 16-24 through Capel Manor College, London’s only specialist environmental college of which The Queen Mother was Patron, to plant and manage trees.

The Faith Leaders in their message to the interfaith community urged everyone to get involved with the QGC and highlighted the benefits of trees and green spaces for communities, mental health and the importance of creating a legacy that will benefit future generations. The Queen’s Green Canopy was launched at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Virtual Chelsea event on Monday.

The Faith Leaders participating in the video message include:
· The Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

· Desmond Biddulph CBE, The Buddhist Society UK

· Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh OBE, KSG, Chair of the Nishkam Group of Charitable Organisations

· Ms Sarwat Tasneem, Al-Khoei Foundation

· The Rt Revd Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

· Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of Great Britain and the Commonwealth

· Kate McColgan, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Chair of Interfaith Council for Wales

· The Rt Revd Sarah Groves, Moravian Church of the British Province, Northern Ireland

· Imam Qari Muhammad Asim MBE, Senior Imam, Makkah Mosque, Leeds, Chair of Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board

· Ms Muna Chauhan, Hindu Council UK