OAK trees have been planted at three borough schools to mark the coronation of King Charles III.

East Thurrock MP Stephen Metcalfe was on hand on Friday (5 May) when the saplings were planted at three schools run by the Ortu Trust – Hassenbrook Academy, Gable Hall School and Corringham Primary.

The Trust provided the trees.

At Gable Hall Mr Metcalfe was welcomed by the Trust's chair and vice chair, Georgina Clark and Dr Ian Frood and the trio then moved on to Hassenbrook and Corringham. .

Mr Metcalfe said: "It's lovely to have been invited.

"This is for all of us, as most of us have never seen a Coronation before. It builds on a tradition that goes back over 1000 years to when a monarch, a king or a queen of the country makes a pledge of service to all of us.

"It is our privilege now that we can see this broadcast, the first time in 1952 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was crowned, and now we can see this tradition continue. We all wish King Charles III the very best during his reign and as he grows into this role, we can watch these trees grow as a beacon of hope to us all" 

Gable Hall's Combined Cadet Force (CCF)

The ceremony at Gable Hall also featured the school's Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and its Commander D Strickland commented@ "Students really got stuck in helping to dig a hole and prepare the soil and asked lots of interesting questions about the type of tree and how it will change with the seasons. I hope it will bring decades of bright colour to the school grounds."

The CCF is a voluntary after-school organisation sponsored by the Ministry of Defence.