Royal visit ‘will stay with the children all through their lives’
HELPING to plant a crab apple tree were among the duties for the Earl and Countess of Wessex on their visit Forest School yesterday.
The couple started their second day in the Bailiwick at the primary school, where they met pupils from Forest and Le Rondin schools.
Executive headteacher Paula Sullivan said the pupils had been very excited to meet the couple.
‘I think it is really important,’ she said. ‘It is something that will stay with the children all through their lives.’
The couple took time to talk to the pupils, who were waving Guernsey and British flags in the playground, before moving onto the school field to help with the tree planting.
Four pupils volunteered to help plant the crab apple alongside the royals, with all six of them putting several spadefuls of earth in.
The tree is one of 11 planted at the school – one to represent each class – as part of an initiative by Guernsey Trees for Life.
Charity secretary Andy McCutcheon explained to the royal couple that the organisation was working with all the schools across the Bailiwick to plant trees for every class in the islands – more than 400 of them.
Charity secretary Andy McCutcheon explained to the royal couple that the organisation was working with all the schools across the Bailiwick to plant trees for every class in the islands – more than 400 of them.
Before leaving the school, the couple also met Ben Le Marchant, who was visiting the school with his winning design for the Bailiwick Jubilee flag.
‘I think they liked it,’ he said.
‘They said they could see it was based on a stamp. This was a really nice experience.’
The flag will fly in several prominent locations later this month, ahead of the Jubilee.
The couple were then whisked away to Alderney by helicopter.
