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A tree to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III was planted at Gable Hall School this morning during a special celebratory event.

Students were warmly welcomed by Stephen Metcalfe MP and Georgina Clark – Chair of the Ortu Federation and Dr Ian Frood Vice Chair.

Speaking at the event, Stephen Metcalfe MP said: "It’s lovely to have been invited to a tree-planting event to celebrate the King’s Coronation”. 

“This is for all of us, as most of us have never seen a Coronation before. It builds on a tradition that goes back over 1000 years to when a monarch, a king or a queen of the country makes a pledge of service to all of us. It is our privilege now that we can see this broadcast, the first time in 1953 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was crowned, and now we can see this tradition continue. We all wish King Charles III the very best during his reign and as he grows into this role, we can watch this tree grow at Gable Hall. The tree will stand as a beacon of hope to us all” 

Mr Lewis, Principal at Gable Hall, said “The coronation of King Charles III is a historic occasion, and I am pleased that our school community has come together to mark and to be part of the celebrations. The King has long been an advocate of sustainability and conservation, and so planting this oak tree to mark the start of his reign is very fitting”.

The ceremony was led by the extremely successful Combined Cadet Force (CCF) which we are really proud of at Gable Hall. CCF Contingent Commander D Strickland commented "Students really got stuck in helping to dig a hole and prepare the soil and asked lots of interesting questions about the type of tree and how it will change with the seasons. I hope it will bring decades of bright colour to the school grounds." The CCF is a voluntary after-school organisation sponsored by the Ministry of Defence.

Students commented that "It was good to plant a tree to commemorate such a historic day and we are looking forward to seeing the tree grow. We have been learning a lot about the Coronation in school over the past few weeks."