Butterfly Conservation, in partnership with the Association of Jewish Refugees, has arranged for an Oak tree to be planted at Prees Heath Common Reserve as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

The tree has been planted by members of the Association of Jewish Refugees, and to mark their 80th anniversary they are planting an Oak on 80 different sites in the UK with which they have a connection.

In World War Two an internment camp was established on Prees Heath Common by the government in 1940, when this country was threatened with invasion.

Many refugees had come here from Germany and Austria to escape persecution by the Nazi regime, and the government had decided they should all be interned as they may be a threat to national security.

The camp at Prees Heath, which was very basic consisting of tents and a barbed wire fence, included amongst the internees the influential economist EF Schumacher and members of the Amadeus String quartet.

Butterfly Conservation’s volunteer warden Stephen Lewis says: “The reserve has a very rich history and, as part of the overall restoration of the site, it is important that this is celebrated as well as the wildlife in this beautiful and enriching open space.”