21 March 2006
Living legacies to mark 50th anniversary
Welsh planting power helps The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award mark historic milestone
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Participants and volunteers from Wales will be wearing their wellies this month, when they take part in a national tree-planting marathon to celebrate the charity’s 50th Anniversary. Five hundred trees are being provided by The Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, and will be planted in 10 locations around the country to mark the achievements of the Award during the past 50 years and create lasting legacies to be enjoyed by all for many years to come.
The planting will be taking place in Barry on Wednesday 29th March at Porthkerry County Park., The 50 trees will be planted by a team, which includes young people from Ysgol Bro Morgannwg a Welsh speaking school and Ysgol Maes Dyfan a special needs school. Further tree planting events will be taking place by Award Groups all over the UK this week, which also forms a key part of the Woodland Trust’s ambitious five year Tree For All Campaign to enable people of all ages to plant 12 million trees. After the initial tree planting, Award Groups will be offered the opportunity to plant more trees in the autumn.
Stephanie Price The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Director for Wales said: “Service to the community is a key component of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and many participants choose conservation and the environment as part of their Service and Residential Sections. By planting these trees, Award Participants will be helping to improve the landscape of their communities as well as contributing to a 50th Anniversary target to reach a grand total of 1 million service hours by Award Participants in 1 year.
“Since the Award was launched, more than five million young people in 100 countries have provided 54 million hours of service to their communities. This is an outstanding achievement and I am thrilled that we will be marking our 50th Anniversary by planting trees that will grow to improve our landscape, just as the work of the Award will grow over the next 50 years to improve the lives of millions more young people.
“This is the first of many events we are hosting this year nationally and regionally to celebrate and raise awareness of the fantastic achievements by participants and volunteers involved in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award during the past fifty years.”
Meriel Robson, of The Woodland Trust, who is organising the Porthkerry planting, says: “We are delighted to be working with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award’s vast army of dedicated participants and volunteers. With their help we will be able to create 10 lasting legacies across the UK to help transform our landscape. Their efforts will reap benefits for generations to come by helping create thriving green spaces that are teeming with life.
“Tree For All shares a common spirit with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, because these volunteers will join a global movement of young people planting trees - from Australia to Zambia, from Norway to Uganda.”
-ENDS-
For further information or if you would like to send a reporter/photographer to cover the event please contact:
Shona Taylor, Public Relations Officer, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award on 01753 727423
Or email shona.taylor@theaward.org
Rory Francis, Press Officer, the Woodland Trust in Wales on 01766 830328 or roryfrancis@woodland-trust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, or e-mail: media@woodland-trust.org.uk
Notes to editors:
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award:
• The Duke of Edinburgh's Award 50th Anniversary celebrations are kindly sponsored by Bank of Scotland Corporate. Bank of Scotland Corporate is part of HBOS plc, the UK's largest mortgage and savings provider. The bank works with businesses of over £1 million turnover across a wide range of banking and finance areas and has one of the most knowledgeable and experienced teams in the industry.
• The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award charity was launched in 1956 under the patronage of HRH The Duke Of Edinburgh, to encourage and support the personal development of millions of 14 to 25-year-olds, regardless of their gender, background, ethnicity or ability.
• Over 500,000 participants are trying for an Award at any one time, with over 225,000 of these in the UK
• There were over 145,000 new entrants last year in the UK, and over 58,000 achieved their Bronze, Silver or Gold Award.
• The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a registered charity run with the support of over 50,000 volunteers and 10,000 partner organisations.
• Since 1956, over 3.5 million young people have participated in the UK Award. Currently almost seven per cent of 14 to 17-year-olds in the UK are taking part through Award Groups in youth clubs, voluntary organisations, Open Award Centres, schools, colleges, young offender institutes and businesses.
• In 1988, The International Award Association was established to co-ordinate and develop the Award worldwide and since 1956, over 5 million young people in over 100 countries have taken up the challenge.
• The Award was founded by the Patron, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. TRH The Duke of Edinburgh and The Earl of Wessex continue to be involved with the organisation to this date.
• The organisation’s roster of famous alumni boasts an impressive number of world-famous names including Dame Kelly Holmes, David Hempleman-Adams, Katherine Jenkins, Alice Beer, Ben Fogle, Steve Blacknell, and Kevin Keegan
• This year the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is encouraging all participants to log the hours that they have given to the community and are hoping to reach a grand total of 1 million hours in 1 year.
• Further information can be found at www.theaward.org
The Woodland Trust: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodland-trust.org.uk
Tree For All: It is a new kind of movement that gives children the chance to understand nature and the power to care for it. The campaign aims to plant 12 million trees throughout the UK, between September 2004 and 2009, involving people of all ages by planting native trees.
