TREES
Volunteers Mani
Dhanda, Martin Raven,
Carole Connelly and
Tim Uthmann get
stuck-in at Southall Park
Yours for the picking
Mini orchards, with fruit trees and hedges, have been created by community groups
with the help of the council – with many more on their way, reports Neelum Bains.
I
n the past, hedges and trees were
used as natural larders of healthy
seasonal food – apples, berries and
nuts could be foraged locally and
were used to supplement shop-bought
groceries. These projects – in Greenford,
Hanwell and now Southall – are not only
bringing local people together, and
making areas look more attractive, but
also providing nutritional goodies for
residents to eat and enjoy free of charge.
It involves sections of council-owned
open spaces being taken over and given
new life. Fruit-bearing trees and hedges
that bear nuts and berries are planted,
and the groups take responsibility for
maintaining them for the community.
18
around ealing
Winter 2015/16
FRUITS OF LOCAL LABOUR
Pioneering this approach was an
orchard in Ravenor Park, Greenford, in
2011. It proved successful and many
of those involved were also keen to
get their hands dirty on other similar
schemes in the borough.
The council’s parks team began
working with local volunteers
on the Hanwell and
Norwood Green
Orchard Trail, to
plant a ‘fruit
route’ along
the canal made
up of fruit trees
and bushes.
The project began by preparing
an area along the edges of Hanwell
Meadows (Trumpers Field, Jubilee
Meadow and Blackberry Corner), for the
trees to be planted in. The jobs included
clearing wild brambles and weeds and
cutting back overgrown trees.
Once the ground was ready, 40
mixed fruit trees, including a mixture
of apples, pears, and a variety
of stone-fruits were
planted in spaces along
the edges of the
meadows.
The project
members plan to
extend this fruit
Fruit at Ravenor Park orchard