A HOLDING company have marked the Platinum Jubilee by planting a commemorative Red Oak tree. 

The H&H Group chairman, Michael Scott, was joined by 80-year-old Mitch Carlyle and 17-year-old Victoria Twentyman, the oldest and youngest members of staff, in planting the tree outside Borderway Mart at Rosehill, Carlisle.

Red Oak is renowned for its distinct rich red leaves in autumn and ridged bark which appear to have shiny stripes down the centre. Often referred to as the ‘Champion Oak’, to symbolise royalty. 

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Richard Rankin CEO of the H&H Group said: “We wanted to do something special to mark the Platinum Jubilee and it seemed fitting, giving Her Majesty’s rein, to invite our oldest and youngest employees to join our chairman in the planting of this Red Oak tree which will hopefully become a historical feature of H&H in years to come.”

The company’s oldest employee, former farmer and racehorse owner, Mitch Carlyle, works as a yardman at H&H; a role he has carried out since 2007. Mitch, orginally from Canonbie, celebrated his own personal milestone when he turned 80 in February.]

At the other end of the scale, 17-year-old Victoria Twentyman is the youngest employee of the H&H Group. Following her chosen career in the financial service industry, Victoria joined H&H Insurance Brokers last summer as an apprentice admin assistant based at its head office in Carlisle. 

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