A memorial to Britain’s fallen heroes will come into existence later this month as HBPW’s Senior Partner, Paul Withers, and his Rotary colleagues, complete part of a long charity journey that began more than a year ago.
Thirteen eight foot high beech trees, or saplings, are to be planted at Barnby Moor Memorial Park & Crematorium in the East Midlands, to create an Avenue of Trees in memory of military personnel who have died in conflict.
“Last August the Rotary Club of Retford, where I am Chairman of the Environmental Committee, joined forces with local community group, Sustainable Bassetlaw, to launch an eco-campaign that would see the planting of 1,620 trees over a two-year period,” said Paul.
“It was all part of the 400th anniversary of the ‘birth’ of America and, since many of the United States’ founding fathers were originally from our region, it made sense to tie it into the year 1620,” he added.
Raising money through the collection and subsequent sale of old drink cans, dozens of groups were galvanised into collecting aluminium fizzy drink containers, and cash raised from the initiative has now helped fund the Avenues of Trees memorial.
“There are already 13 trees in existence, however, by planting another 13 alongside, we have been able to work with the Memoria Group, who own the crematorium, to plan this wonderful memorial which will be there long after many of us have departed this life,” said Paul.
The trees will be planted on 20th November in the grounds of the crematorium chapel.
He added: “Rotary has many ‘avenues of service’ and The Environment is one of them so, in many ways, this is a wholly appropriate way to not only commemorate those servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, but to give Rotary a worthy way of supporting a green initiative that will be remembered for decades to come.
“Next year is also the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee commemorating her 70 years on the throne, and Prince Charles recently launched a Plant a Tree drive which he dubbed ‘Tree-bilee’ in celebration of the Queen’s forthcoming milestone. Everything we are doing is perfect and fits the mood of the country,” added. Paul