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Published on Thursday 16 December 2021

From left: Mr Woodward – Headmaster of Bethany Junior School; Cllr Mark Anderson, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place; Cllr Jane Kelly; front, Issey.

A Bournemouth school pupil has received a letter of support by Her Majesty The Queen and A-list celebrities in her efforts to launch a Charitable Trust to plant more trees.

Nine-year-old Issey, a Year 5 pupil at Bethany C.E Junior School in Bournemouth, along with her Mother, Janine Purser, is planning to set up a Charitable Trust to get all school children in the country to plant their own trees in school grounds or to create a coppice in their neighbourhoods.

With support from BCP Council, this venture links with The Queen’s Green Canopy, a UK Wide tree planting initiative to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, by inviting people to "Plant a Tree for the Jubilee".

Over the last year, the council has planted over 10,000 trees across the conurbation to help combat the climate and ecological emergency, with councillors impressed by Issey’s passion to plant more trees. Councillor Mark Anderson, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place, said: "Climate change is such an important issue, we must listen to the voices of young people to help ensure that their future is protected.

"I was really pleased to meet with Izzy and help support her campaign. What she is trying to do fits in with the ecological emergency we declared in 2019 and is particularly relevant as we approach the Queen's Jubilee and the Woodland trust campaign to "plant a tree for the jubilee". We should also remember that ecological emergency also covers biodiversity so it’s important to protect wildlife and other plants."

So far, Issey has received letters of support from Her Majesty The Queen, naturalist Sir David Attenborough and the musician, Sting.

With support from her school, Issey’s named her project - ‘Plant The World Green’ – and she hopes to encourage more school children across the UK to get the opportunity to plant their own tree over the next 10 years and to make the area cleaner, greener and safer.

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. One of my favourite things to do is going for walks with my Daddy and my younger sister in the New Forest. I also want to write a book about wildlife and the woods!"

Councillor Jane Kelly, Lead Member for Communities, said: "It is really heart-warming to hear Issey talk about her passion for the environment and her wish to encourage all children to plant trees as part of the Queens Jubilee in 2022. Issey is an inspiration to others and I am so proud of her and her family."

To formally recognise her efforts, Cllr Mark Anderson has recommended Issey for a Commendation at the next BCP full council meeting in January 2022.

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