Heaton Park’s community orchard needs your help! Heaton Park has a community orchard but you wouldn’t know it. Located behind the Dower House, the orchard is made up of one mature Bramley apple tree with several smaller trees currently being choked by weeds. It could be an absolutely fantastic space as it is a quiet corner of the park but still close to amenities like The Stables café and main play area. The Dower House is the base of Manchester and District Beekeepers so the orchard is in the ideal place providing bees with the food they need to survive and they, in turn, pollinate the trees and plants so that they produce fruit. The orchard won’t just be made up of fruit trees. There will be nut trees, fruit shrubs and herbs that are loved by bees. We won’t get rid of the brambles, we’ll just control them so that they allow other plants to grow. Fancy having a go at making some sloe gin in the next couple of years? We’ll plan some blackthorn so that you’ll be able to find some.

What we'll deliver:

• Provide lots of opportunities for local people to get involved and learn more about growing fruit and using it
• Train disadvantaged young people in heritage orchard and woodland skills
• Create a tree nursery to make sure the orchard has a plentiful supply of new or replacement trees and shrubs
• Develop a productive orchard behind the Dower House, the base of Manchester and District Beekeepers, in Heaton Park
• Increase awareness of the need to save bees
• Run free training for the local community

Why it's a great idea:

Rewards £1,000 Corporate volunteer package up to 30 people - 1 task day + hospitality package £1,000 Sponsor an unemployed young person from Greater Manchester for 6 months in to training or employment, Sunday roast at the award-winning Eagle and Child, Ramsbottom for 2 (up to £75) + luxury EAT Pennines hamper. £500 Corporate volunteer package up to 15 people – 1 task day + hospitality package £200 Two day beekeeping course LIMITED TO 6 £100 Plant a tree for a loved one – choose a standard sized fruit or nut tree to plant in the orchard LIMITED TO 40 £80 Luxury EAT Pennines hamper + 20% off in The Stables and Pavilion cafes for a whole year £60 Prosecco afternoon tea for two £25 10% off in The Stables and Pavilion cafes for 12 months £15 10% off in The Stables and Pavilion cafes for 3 months £5 Pledge to support our community orchard and unemployed young people

Steps to get it done:

• Create tree nursery in Heaton Park
• Hold a community open day to tell people about the project and get them involved
• Hold Apple Day event in the orchard in 2017
• Hold regular work days throughout winter to clear and prepare the site and plant the orchard
• Invite local schools to plant trees
• Provide training sessions for young people and volunteers who will be carrying out the work to create the orchard
• Set up monthly family activity sessions in the orchard
• Create an information board with a local school and install in the orchard
• Design and print a leaflet about the site and fruit varieties
• Establish a project board made up of representatives from all interested parties
• Get advice from an orchard expert
• Run cooking and preserving courses in summer and autumn 2017
• Source excellent quality and appropriate varieties of fruit and nuts trees and shrubs

Heaton Park is the largest municipal park in Europe but hardly any of it is used for community food growing. Creating this community orchard will more than double the amount of food growing space within the park and allow local people to benefit. The project won’t just be about getting the work done, it’s also about giving people the necessary skills to be able to look after the orchard and know what to do with the fruit.