While on a visit to Kenya in honour of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, the Earl of Wessex recognised the achievement of the Platinum Jubilee in perhaps one of the most historic places in royal history: Aberdare Open Fields, the treetops where The Queen received the news of her accession.
The Earl planted a tree as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy Initiative. In honour of the Platinum Jubilee, people from across the United Kingdom are invited to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee.” Everyone from Scout groups to corporations are encouraged to play their part in enhancing the environment during the official planting season between October to March. Tree planting will commence again in October through the end of the Jubilee year.
The planting came after The Earl met young people taking part in their Gold Award expedition. He heard first-hand about the efforts being taken to support environmental conservation. Participants who have taken part in the award have planted more than 30,000 trees across Kenya over the last year in an effort to tackle climate change.
The Earl was in Kenya in support of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. Edward is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Award, which was founded by his late father in 1956. The award is a non-formal education and learning framework that operates in 130 countries and territories. It’s to celebrate young people’s achievements outside of academia. The award is known as the President’s Award in Kenya and has been operating in the country since 1966. More than half a million young people have benefited from it to date.
Later in the day, Edward visited Dedan Kimathi University to speak to young people and help them as they prepare to embark on their Gold Award – an award the Earl himself achieved in 1986. To finish the day, Edward visited the British Army Training Unit Kenya.
