Central The Queen News

A train used by the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee tour in the Midlands last year, now needs £50,000 to pay for repairs.

The Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society, who look after the train in Tyseley, West Midlands, is requesting donations to pay for the work.

It's thought the 'Princess Royal Class No 6201' is the Queen's favourite train.

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The Woodland Trust has been planting trees across a 60 acre plot in Rugby today as part of its Diamond Wood project set up to commemorate the Queen's jubilee.

Britain is one of the worst countries in Europe for woodland coverage, says Dominic Sweeting, jubilee event officer at the Woodland Trust.

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The Woodland Trust and Rugby Borough Council have been down at a site in Warwickshire today, planting trees as part of a project set up to commemorate the Queen's jubilee.

Sixty 'Diamond Woods' are being planted around Great Britain, explains Dominic Sweeting – the jubilee events officer for the Midlands.

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A gold, diamond and platinum brooch made with help from the Birmingham Assay Office has been presented to the Queen.

The brooch contains gold from each of the United Kingdom countries and was given to the Queen in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee.

Chief Executive of The Birmingham Assay Office, Michael Allchin said:

"The brooch represents the best of our industry; superb traditional craftsmanship combined with innovative technology, imagination and flair and most of all a generous spirit of co-operation which has created a wonderful piece of which we can all be proud".

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Geoffrey Hopkinson from Walton-on-the-Hill near Stafford has become the first person to receive a Queen's Birthday Honour for Beekeeping.

The 84-year-old said he first developed a love of beekeeping in 1948 when he helped his cousin move some bees while on leave from the Army.

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The Chief Nursing Officer of The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust says she is "humbled" to be awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Cheryl Etches, who is from Wombourne in Staffordshire, has been in the role at the Trust for seven years. The Trust says she has been "instrumental" in turning around the hospital in Wolverhampton to become one of the highest performing NHS Trusts in the West Midlands and nationally.

“I am very humbled to accept this honour and feel it recognises the efforts of many staff at The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust who work tirelessly to deliver good quality care to the people who we serve.”

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The Director of Symphony Hall in Birmingham says he is "immensely proud" after being awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours. It comes in the year Symphony Hall celebrates its 21st anniversary.

Andrew Jowett was appointed Director in 1988 - three years before Symphony Hall opened.

Andrew Jowett said “I am immensely proud to receive this honour for leading Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham and it is particularly appropriate this year when Symphony Hall is celebrating its 21st anniversary.

Running these two world renowned concert halls is an absolute joy and privilege and, in accepting this honour, I do so on behalf of everyone who has helped make them a major force on the national and international music scene, connecting over half a million people to music every year.”

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