Jubilee celebrations got underway in Abergavenny on Wednesday May 25 as residents and primary schools met at Linda Vista Gardens to plant a celebratory tree to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Organised by local entertainer Bryn Yemm, and with the help of Abergavenny Garden Centre who donated 10 Rowan trees to the event, Abergavenny locals converged on the Gardens for an afternoon of song, dance and celebration.

The planting of the trees will ensure the town has a long-lasting memorial of this historic event, with each school receiving its own tree kindly donated by Abergavenny Garden Centre.

Having donated 10 of the indigenous Sorbus Aucuparias to the event, garden centre staff were on hand to present local primary schools with their own trees to take back and plant in their school grounds.

Representatives from Cantref, Deri View, Gilwern, Llanfoist, Llanvihangel, Llantilio Pertholey, Our Lady & St. Michael’s, Ysgol Gymraeg Y-Fenni and Cross Ash primary school all received their own Rowan Tree to be planted as a lasting symbol of the widely celebrated Platinum Jubilee.

Schools tree planting
Representatives of local primary schools receiving their commemorative trees (Pic from MCC)

Following the presentations, the celebrations continued with local dance group Dance Attack performing to Bryn Yemm’s live rendition of “Jubilee Party”.

Abergavenny Town Mayor Tony Konieczny and the new Chair of Monmouthshire County Council, Cllr Laura Wright were present at the event along with other town councillors, as they received their own commemorative tree from the Garden centre to plant in Linda Vista Gardens.

Tony Konieczny, Abergavenny’s Town Mayor, said: "A huge thanks goes to the Abergavenny Garden Centre for donating these amazing Rowan trees which will commemorate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. For the children here today, these trees may not seem significant to you now, but year on year, you will see them flower and grow as you will grow. I hope many people get pleasure from it."

Cllr. Laura Wright, Chair of Monmouthshire County Council, said: “I hope we can all consider planting trees in our gardens, focusing on increasing the urban tree canopy and doing what we can to tackle climate change in the process. I also want to say a huge thank you to the children for their efforts and incredible dance performances we’ve seen at today’s Jubilee event.

"I think this celebration will give us all something special to remember when we look at these trees, and how well they’re growing, reminding us of this amazing Jubilee event in years to come.”