As the previous Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr James Mallinder delivered a strong environmental direction for East Suffolk Council under the Conservative administration.

The ‘Treebilee’ scheme was launched by the then, HRH The Prince of Wales to encourage the planting of trees during a year of celebrations to mark The Queen’s 70-year reign in 2022.

As part of its involvement in the project, officially known as the Queen's Green Canopy, Cllr Mallinder initiated the purchasing of 200 English oak trees to be donated to every town and parish council in the district – as a way of marking the occasion while helping to tackle climate change and promoting environmentally sustainable communities.

Cllr Mallinder recently visited one of the trees in his Deben ward which he helped to plant, and he was delighted to see it growing strong and healthy. A testament to a successful and engaging policy introduced, a fitting memory of the late Queen and a result of care from local volunteers.

Cllr Mallinder said: “This is a key initiative in contributing to building environmentally sustainable communities for this and future generations.”