Our Delivery Report
Funded on 27 August 2024 | Delivered on 31 December 2025
£20,804
RAISED
88
BACKERS
84
DAYS TO FUND
BIGGEST PLEDGE
£14,863
From Shropshire Council
60
people have visited this project!
13000 m2 of public or community space created
26 April 2025
Delight as Shropshire craft centre gets invite to Buckingham Palace
Shropshire StarThis year, Crowsmill Craft Centre successfully secured grant support through the Branching Out Fund and will be planting a variety of trees in the new green space of their existing provision, having successfully crowdfunded to develop the land for wildlife and community enjoyment, maintained with the help of their service users in land-management workshops.\n\nNow all their good work has been recognised in royal circles after co-founder Dickon Pitt was sent an invite to Buckingham Palace
More about our impact
The environment
The biggest impact is changing a field from a crop covered in pesticide with shallow ploughed history to a blooming orchard of 50 fruit trees, surrounded by shrubs and natural flora and fauna, all encompassed by a newly planted native hedgerow. This will benefit our local environment for years to come, as well as the wider areas through learning and demonstration of environmentaly friendly practices.
The local economy
The local economy is not really affected by our project.
Volunteering, jobs & education
We have had many people volunteer with us since our project got underway. Some once, some have returned a few times and a select few are now regular volunteers who simply love the benefit they gain from being in a green space, with company and purpose. The overiding impact on people and their mental health is amazing to see.
Arts, culture & heritage
We set out to develop our project in a manner that reflects Shropshire's own values. The arts have been a great part of 2025 using transient pieces throughout the orchard and pathways to encourage people to engage outside and be reactive to our ever changing landscape as well as natures own materials that were used to form the works. This year we are going to build on this and develop more permanent pieces of art that are complementary, inspired by the landscape to reflect the landscape. One of our trainers went on a traditional scything course allowing her to share with our service users, participants and visitors the more traditional conservation practices which we are focussed on using here.
Activity, health and leisure
We promoted our project and found those participating on courses becoming increasingly involved in our orchard area. Whether it was planting fruit trees and hedgerows or digging holes and fencing, or simply having stroll to see what others were up to, the project was all inclusive and the benefits to those who came out were clear to see. Some were just glad to be around likeminded people finding a purpose again, whilst others enjoyed walking around the bark trails seeing what was going on.
