Young Pupils Play Their Part in ‘40 Trees for the 40th’ Mission

Six pupils from Hexham Sele First School have not only shown they are budding dendrophiles but also played their part in history.

The pupils, from Reception to Year 4, became tree huggers for a day at Langley Castle, in Haydon Bridge, where their mission was to plant six Cornus florida American dogwood trees. These are the first in a total of forty such trees to be planted over the course of 10 weeks.

Another four trees will soon be bedded in by pupils from Shaftoe Trust Academy in Haydon Bridge, who will be at the castle on May 6.

That date will mark the 40th anniversary of Langley Castle as a hotel and restaurant, which is why a symbolic total of 40 trees was chosen.  The four pupils from Shaftoe Trust Academy will be planting trees as the first activity in a day of celebrations that will be staged to mark the landmark anniversary occasion.

Planting the trees on April 21 were pupils, Finlay, Forrest, Maple, Francesca, Penny and Eleanor and their headteacher Steph Milburn and several colleagues.

The youngsters excitedly set about their task of planting a species especially chosen by the Baroness of Langley, Dr Mariann Madnick.  As she and Dr Stuart Madnick, who bought the castle in the 1980s, are both American, the choice of American dogwood was an obvious one.  It is also one of Dr Mariann’s favourite, due to the dramatic and mesmerising colour changes it delivers during the year.

In early summer this is a stunning display of spectacular green flowers surrounded by four snowy white and pink bracts.  Glossy green leaves then turn bright red and orange in autumn and winter, for a wonderful autumnal colour display and Christmassy feel.  Importantly, the trees also produce eye-catching bright red berries, making them gorgeous to behold but also an important asset for wildlife.

The youngsters popped the trees into the ground on Langley Castle’s land besides the A686, trying hard not to hurt the worms they found. There, as the trees grow and mature, they will provide another wonderful thing to view along one of the AA’s best drives in Britain - between Penrith and the A69 at Haydon Bridge.  Accompanying the trees will be 42 large and small red twig dogwood shrubs, adding to the visual appeal of the arboreal display as an under-canopy of colour.

More Cornus florida trees are due to be planted as a backdrop to the Langley Castle gazebo. The woodland wedding area will also soon be boasting red twig dogwood shrubs for added appeal.  Notably, the seating here was created from former trees that had stood in the grounds, to recycle the natural material.  Now, the old will be welcoming the new.

Playing their part in the castle’s 40th anniversary celebrations through this tree-planting exercise was a huge thrill for the pupils.  The six were chosen, at random, from amongst the school’s eco-warriors who can be found in each year group.  As a result of their hard work, all were rewarded with special commemorative sashes reading ‘Young Knight of Langley.’

One named their tree ‘Jeff’ and vowed to keep returning to watch the progress of Jeff, as he grows. “Next time I see Jeff, he will be grown-up”, they said, “and Jeff is my creation.”

A fellow pupil added, ”I’m really proud to do this. I love trees. They grow so tall and pretty.”  And another said they would come back every year to see how tall their tree had grown.

Langley Castle’s general manager, Mohamed Serag, says, “This was another important stepping stone towards our big May 6 celebration, which will heavily involve members of the local community.  For this reason, it was wonderful to involve local schools and their pupils and also fantastic to see the enthusiasm that the children had for nature.  With more tree-planting to come, we are making great headway towards our target of getting 40 trees in the ground in our 40th anniversary year.”

More information about Langley Castle is available at www.langleycastle.co.uk

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Editors notes

Langley Castle, built in 1350, is located in Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland and is one of the few authentic, fortified medieval castles in England. It has a rich history, with strong links to Jacobite rebellions, is located just a stone's throw from the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall and boasts features including battlements, seven-feet-thick walls, window seats set into the walls and the best example of medieval garderobes in Europe. It is one of the most exquisite wedding venues in the north and also offers a wide range of options when it comes to exclusive use, with the castle being available for weddings, family celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, D&D-style events and a wide variety of corporate functions.