R&S Pride AUGUST 241.qxp 29/06/2022 13:41 Page 8
NEWS & EVENTS
Sir Laurence becomes Hon Freeman SPECIAL MEETING AT OAKHAM CASTLE TO HONOUR SIR LAURENCE HOWARD RUTLAND A special meeting of Rutland County Council’s Full Council will be held at Oakham Castle as Pride goes to press in order to appoint Sir Laurence Howard KCVO OBE as an Honorary Freeman. The title of Honorary Freeman is given to persons who have rendered eminent services to their county and its residents. To be eligible, a prospective Freeman must be widely respected by their peers and communities, have made exemplary achievements and must not have held elected office with Rutland County Council. Following a proposal in February, Sir Laurence has accepted the appointment and will receive his title as part of a special ceremony in Oakham Castle’s historic Great Hall. Sir Laurence is a Rutland resident of almost 50
years. His professional background is in medical research and academia, having worked at the University of Leicester for more than three decades. Sir Laurence was also part of a group involved in setting up a scholarship for Rutland students at the University. Sir Laurence’s most notable service to the County came in 2003 when he was appointed as Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland. Sir Laurence held this position for 15 years until his retirement in 2018. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 2017. In addition to these formal appointments Sir Laurence has been involved with numerous charitable causes and organisations in Rutland and has made an unquestionable contribution to the county and its communities. n
Willow tree’s pollarding POLLARDING FOR MEADOWS’ WILLOW... BUT ‘WHY?’ ASK SOME STAMFORD FOLK
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Laurence was appointed KCVO in 2017 and is pictured here with HRH The Prince of Wales.
STAMFORD Tree contractors working on Stamford’s Meadows have responded to some locals’ disappointment at seeing the Willow tree at its heart receiving a liberal trim. Brett Redshaw has headed up the work as owner of the town’s Woodcraft Tree Services and was responsible for pollarding the tree. “It is amazing that so many local people have a feeling of affinity for the willow,” he says. “The work carried out was a re-pollard, not a prune, not a reduction, and certainly not a ‘topping.’ Pollarding has been carried out for over 2,000
years and is intended to reduce the chance of storm damage by lowering the centre of gravity of the tree, removing static timber which is then replaced by vigorous new growth. Pollarding really does extends tree life.” “In fact, a tree which has had a pollard cycle initiated at an appropriate phase of life, will outlive a tree of the same species which has never been pollarded.” “We always work with the wellbeing and longevity of the tree in mind, so it’s wonderful to see the depth of feeling that has arisen from the work.” n
