Community orchards planted across Leicestershire as part of tree scheme

There are plans to plant another 30 in the coming year.

Thirty new community orchards have been established on sites across Leicestershire in the last year.

The new mini-orchards are the fruit of a Leicestershire County Council-run scheme which gives free packs of fruits trees to community groups, parish councils, schools and landowners who allow public access to their land, to allow them to plant new orchards around the county.

There are plans to plant another 30 in the coming year.

Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for the environment and the green agenda, said" "Orchards and trees play a vital role in enriching our ecosystem and improving biodiversity. The community orchards scheme gives voluntary and community groups the opportunity to make a real difference to our environment and play their part in making Leicestershire a cleaner and greener place to live and work.

"The creation of a number of new orchards throughout the county gives us a unique opportunity to create green spaces that not only provide fresh and healthy produce but also serve as havens for wildlife and a boost to our goal of helping to plant 700,000 trees in Leicestershire.

"We are delighted that so many schools, parish councils and landowners with public access have recognised the importance of this scheme, and supported it by planting new orchards which can be enjoyed by the whole, community for generations to come."

The plantings included:

• Stoney Stanton Queen Elizabeth II Community Orchard has been planted over the last two years in honour of the late Queen. There are now 47 fruit trees planted on the site in Carey Hill Park. There is also a second community orchard in Stoney Stanton, which was planted on an area of land previously covered in six-foot-high brambles.
• Park rangers, Market Bosworth Rotary Club and volunteers planted 10 fruit trees at Market Bosworth Country Park.
• Braunstone Town Council applied for free fruit trees to replace some apple trees that had died in the existing community orchard at Franklin Park. Other fruit trees were planted in Thorpe Astley to supplement trees planted as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. The community orchard is well used by the residents, and each year holds an Apple Day for people to enjoy a fun community event and pick apples.