Captain Sir Tom Moore memorial tree planted in Portsmouth after activist's request

The golden beech tree was planted in Stagg Wood in Baffins on Sunday after a request made by a Milton activist.

Paula Savage, 54, wanted to dedicate a tree in the city to the national treasure who raised more than £32.8m for the NHS during the pandemic.

The idea came to Paula during a walk around the city.

‘There’s a tree down by the D-Day museum that was planted for someone and it’s a big tree now,’ she said.

‘I just thought that would be so lovely if we could have a tree here for him too.’

Paula emailed the Portsmouth and Southsea Tree Wardens with her idea.

Just a week later, tree wardens Pauline Powell and Jon Snow were planting the sapling beech tree in the hero’s honour.

As an environmental activist, Paula was thrilled to hear her suggestion came to fruition.

She said: ‘Because of the environment we need to plant more trees and to have one in his honour, it was the least we could do after all the fundraising he did for the NHS.

‘The money he raised was amazing.’

Paula is looking into having a plaque made for the tree and hopes to present this at a dedication ceremony in the summer when Covid restrictions are eased.

Pauline Powell, co-ordinator of Portsmouth and Southsea Tree Wardens said: ‘We were happy to do it in his memory. It’s a lasting legacy. He inspires us all.’

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The deciduous tree has been placed as close to the entrance of the wood as possible and although it is not yet even 3ft tall, it could reach 60ft when fully grown.

Councillor Lynne Stagg was there as she helped to plant other trees in the area as part of the council’s plans to make Portsmouth a ‘greener city’.

‘Iconic is an overused word, but he really was,’ she said of Cpt Moore who died on February 2 aged 100.

‘He epitomised the response to Covid for the whole country and overseas as well.’

The News has launched the Going for Green campaign to illustrate how we can adopt a greener way of living, and thus all play our part towards combating climate change. It’s being run in conjunction with and in support of Portsmouth Climate Action Board.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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