The Helping Britain Blossom project, delivered in partnership with Heineken, The Urban Orchard Project and the Bulmer Foundation, has identified Birmingham as one of four areas in which it will create and restore community orchards. Up to 10 community orchards will be planted around the city, and they will provide educational, environmental and social benefits, for example through increasing biodiversity and providing opportunities for community cohesion.
The first of these orchards was planted at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth hospital last weekend. As part of TCV’s Health for Life project we provided support throughout the weekend, transporting tools and trees around the site and adding extra manpower. Around 40 volunteers joined in over the two days, which was a great opportunity for them to meet new people, learn valuable skills, get outdoors and eat some delicious free fruit! They were not only taught how to plant and stake fruit trees, but also given insight into their care so that they might be involved in the maintenance of the orchard in the future. By planting the orchard and providing education in its care, patients, staff and the wider public will engage with and benefit from it for years to come.
In addition to the fruit trees, a mix of whips were planted including hazel, oak, hornbeam and hawthorn, all as part of the FSC’s Big Tree Plant scheme. These were planted at the edge of the hospital grounds where it borders roads and houses. The aim of these trees is to provide a natural barrier with some shading and protection from noise, cut down air pollution, create an attractive space for wildlife and add some beauty and colour.
The weather mostly held out on the Saturday, with just a small rain shower during lunch, however Sunday was an absolute washout and credit goes to the hardy volunteers who worked out in cold and wet conditions all day. Despite the elements being against us we managed to get all of the trees into the ground and they even got a good watering (every cloud ey!). Over the course of the weekend approximately 250 whips and 130 fruit trees were planted which, given the not-so-favourable conditions, is a great achievement.
TCV will also be supporting the planting of an orchard at Edgbaston Reservoir, where around 20 fruit trees will be planted by the Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir under the guidance of the Urban Orchard Project. The Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir, along with the Friends of Perry Hall Park, associated park rangers and some TCV staff members all received some excellent training in creating a community orchard from Rob and Merrin at the Urban Orchard Project. The day was thoroughly enjoyable and I went home so enthused that I felt the urge to prune my grandfather’s neglected fruit trees on my day off!
The following weekend a further 24 whips were planted in the Summerfield Park area of Birmingham, also as part of the Big Tree Plant, adding to the bountiful number of trees decorating the city. I look forward to watching these trees flourish over the coming years as Birmingham becomes increasingly more green and beautiful.