Tree planted to mark Jubilee

The young tree was grown by the Woodland Trust from a Royal estate acorn - collected from either Windsor Great Park or Sandringham.

Members of Henfield Commons Committee (who planned the planting), Henfield Parish Council and Horsham District Council were in attendance. Parish Council chairman Ray Osgood placed the ‘whip’ in position at the south end of The Tanyard, carefully positioned to achieve pride of place in years to come.

Andrew Sharp, chairman of the Commons committee, said: “We can imagine that in 150 years’ time this tree will be a focal point and known as the Diamond Jubilee Tree.”

Former Henfield council chairman Peter Hudson said: “We have another royal celebration tree which was planted in 1902 at Pinchnose Green to mark the coronation of Edward the Seventh.”

Henfield will be marking the Diamond Jubilee in other ways as well. Plans are being made for a permanent wrought iron hanging basket post, suitably inscribed, to be placed in the village centre near Barclays Bank.

And Henfield Garden Club will plant a ‘Jubilee Garden’ near the Henfield Hall. Henfield High Street will feature a red, white and blue planting scheme in the parish council planters.

On the Sunday of the jubilee weekend (Sunday June 3) a ‘Last Night of the Proms’ evening will be held at Red Oaks, featuring the band Brass Fusion. A special service of celebration during the Jubilee Weekend will be held at the parish church on Sunday June 3.

The Diamond Jubilee Holiday runs from Saturday June 2 to Tuesday June 5 with various events around Henfield including street parties.