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Kids from UK's eight 'Robin Hood' schools join forces to help Sherwood

Updated on: 20 November 2007

Why are there schools in suburban Birmingham, Kingston, Nuneaton, Horsham, Sutton and Wakefield named after Robin Hood?

Robin Hood Pre-school in Stoke Golding help Robin dig in their precious spaling

The pupils at these schools may have little idea why their schools are named after the famous outlaw, many have never even set foot in Sherwood Forest – but they do have one thing in common : they all love trees.

This is good news for Robin as last week he embarked on a nationwide tour to take the forest to the children. Starting in suburban Birmingham, Robin visited each namesake school to entrust the children with tiny saplings of Sherwood’s huge 800 year old Major Oak – the world famous tree where Robin is reputed to have hidden from the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.

In each school he asked the pupils to help replenish Sherwood Forest by growing young trees to replace the hundreds of ancient oaks in Sherwood Forest which experts say will die in the next 30-50 years.

The replanting is an important part of Sherwood’s bid to win £50million from the BIG Lottery Fund’s People’s £50million Contest - to save Sherwood Forest’s fragile ecology and return it to its former glory. 300 hectares of land will be planted with trees (that’s 400 football pitches) providing continuity of habitat for thousands of rare species in centuries to come.

Robin Hood Primary, Sutton receive sapling from Robin and Brian Blessed

Head teacher Margaret Fisher at the Robin Hood Junior School in Sutton, Surrey says:

“We’ve been growing plants in our own Robin Hood allotments and eco garden for about nine years now and the children have won numerous awards for their environmental work, so it is very fitting that we have been entrusted with this special sapling.

“Sherwood’s mighty oaks date back at least 800 years – that’s a very long time to an 8 year old child, but we would like to think this tiny tree will grow big and strong and will still be around in another 800 years to be enjoyed by the children of the future.”

Robin Hood (AKA Ade Andrews of Sherwood Forest Trust) says: “I was delighted, but not surprised, to find out that all these schools already do lots of environmental work. Robin Hood was the original eco-warrior, living ‘at one’ with nature and taking shelter and sustenance from the forest. Any school named after Robin will be a welcome addition to the merry men (and women) already fighting to save Sherwood!”

Robin Hood Primary in Kingston Vale promise to care for their precious baby oak

Some schools sang Robin’s favourite song, others showed him their environmental work, painted pictures for him or took part in quizzes. In London he was be joined by legendary actor Brian Blessed who played Lord Locksley (Robin’s father) in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

In Wakefield he met children who claimed Robin was from Yorkshire and in Birmingham he received an interesting proposition from a lady reporter – which would have caused a lot of trouble with Maid Marion back in the forest!

Izi Banton Sherwood Forest’s Chief Ranger said:

“Sherwood has given so much to Britain over the centuries. Its woodlands were cleared and ploughed for food, its majestic oaks were felled to make great ships and its landscape was ravaged by mining and industry. Nowadays it’s just a fragment of its former self and facing further threats from climate change.

“We want to bring Sherwood back from the brink and transform it into a world class destination, to protect the forest’s fragile ecology and inspire future generations.

“The children in all these schools are doing a very important job in growing their saplings, but best of all they are showing they care about the future of one of England’s greatest natural treasures.”