Children’s hospice gifted tree to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee

The tree originally formed part of a huge sculpture made up of 350 British native trees that was erected outside Buckingham Palace to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee earlier this year. After the Jubilee weekend, the trees have been donated to a number of community groups and individuals to celebrate their work and inspire the next generation of tree planters.

CHAS joins over 300 organisations from across the UK who are recipients of these special trees in The Queen's name, which are gifted in a pot embossed with Her Majesty's cypher and is the only organisation in West Dunbartonshire to receive a tree.

The tree was presented to the charity by the Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire Jill Young MBE and Depute Provost John Millar on Tuesday 1st November and was planted in the grounds of the hospice's six acre gardens.

Rami Okasha, CEO at CHAS, said: "We are delighted to have been nominated as a recipient for the Queen's Green Canopy during our 30th anniversary year. "The gardens at Robin House are a truly special place where anything from forest school lessons, teddy bears picnics and camp outs under the stars happen. The gardens are also a place where families can remember their beloved children and find peace in the midst of grief. This beautiful rowan tree will take pride of place." A special message from the late Queen was also read out to staff, families and volunteers by the Lord Lieutenant who was then presented with a thank you card which was made by children staying in the hospice.

The tree becomes part of the living legacy in honour of Her Majesty, joining over a million trees already planted across the UK as part of The Queen's Green Canopy.

CHAS is the only charity in Scotland that provides hospice services for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions. The national charity offers palliative care and respite for the whole family via its two hospices, Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch. The CHAS at Home service supports families in their own homes across the whole of Scotland and through its Diana Children's Nurses and specialist children's consultants working in hospitals across the country.