On Thursday 2nd March, staff from Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity came together with local volunteers to plant a new orchard in Beeston. During the morning, 96 trees were planted.
The trees were predominantly apple varieties, with some pear and plum trees planted alongside these. The majority of the trees were of local provenance, and included varieties such as āBeauty of Bedfordā, āLaxtonās Leaderā, and āSeptember Beautyā.
Volunteers included the Ivel Valley Conservation Volunteers, Ivel Valley Winter Wellbeing Group, and members from Arcadis. The orchard planting these volunteers an opportunity to develop the local environment for future generations to come in a way which suited their interest in conservation.
Throughout the morning, the volunteers were busy digging holes, transplanting the trees, and adding stakes to label each tree. The volunteers then also placed wire cages around the trees to prevent them from being eaten by local wildlife.
When asked why they had come along to the event, some of the volunteers said:
āI recently retired so needed something to fill my time, and I am interested in conservation. This was the perfect opportunity for me.ā
āWe are here as part of our companyās charity scheme where the idea is as an organisation we improve the quality of life. ā¦ Itās a case of creating a form of legacy and providing something for the local community.ā
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity is pleased to be a part of bringing this orchard to the local area and looks forward to seeing it continue to grow into a resource for the local community.