“Many parents and staff told me afterwards how moved they had been and how thought provoking the whole ceremony was.”
Mrs. Jaki Chrissey – Headteacher Newbold School
On the 14th March 2022 at Newbold School, Binfield, a small reflection ceremony was held for the victims of the war in Ukraine.
The Forest of Memories has been planting trees in dedication to those lost loved ones to Covid 19 in small local remembrance forests. The Forest of Memories has plans to extend this project throughout the UK, with more than seven new locations planned in 2022-23.
The Forest of Memories has a unique concept of combining the physical trees with a digital profile of our loved ones. We call this a Memory Tree.
How the Forest of Memories is Involved
Our platform https://Memory-Trees.com is in development. Our technology partner WeAreHype, has most of its developers located in Ukraine and just before the start of the war, we lost contact with our entire team there. Complete radio silence!
Only this week have we heard back from them and thank God they are all OK, but they have all been conscripted and their lives and families put on hold. It is a situation we cannot even imagine here in the UK.
Newbold School
Newbold School in Binfield has a relationship with a local Ukrainian Community and as such arranged a small reflection ceremony, supported by the Forest of Memories.
Newbold School was originally founded in September 1941 at Newbold Revel near Rugby in Warwickshire and was moved to its current location in Binfield in 1963.
Newbold School is a lovely little Christian primary school, where each child is known as an individual. Newbold’s family atmosphere makes it a very special place. The staff are friendly and nurturing and the children are taught the importance of showing respect to every living creature and to their environment.
Planting A Memory Tree
The ceremony started at 3pm, with an introduction from Iftikhar Chaudhri, the Goodwill Ambassador for The Forest of Memories and former Mayor of Runnymede. Followed by a few words from the headteacher Mrs, Chrissey.
Three children and Mrs. Aleema Chaudhri planted a Crabapple tree next to a remembrance bench.
Prayers for Peace
A short talk on peace and prayers were led by local Ukrainian Pastor Andrei Balan.
Ukrainian Reflection Song
After which there was a beautifully sung remembrance song performed by Sofia Khomiak-Kuzyk, aged 10, in Ukrainian, calling for peace.
