Greylees has a tree-mendous orchard
Greylees children help to plant trees at Greylees Community Orchard with Barratt employees Laura Simpson and Sally Hall.
Greylees residents braved the adverse weather to pitch in and rejuvenate the derelict orchard, which was once part of the former Rauceby Hospital.
Over 150 villagers helped to plant 45 new fruit trees and a thousand wild flower plants on Sunday November 4 at the newly renamed Greylees Community Orchard.
The names of those residents that helped out will now be added to a special information board situated at the entrance to the orchard to thank them for their hard work.
David Wilson Homes, who developed the village, then held a fireworks display and provided hot food for everyone after the planting.
Resident Craig Hutton said: “It was a fantastic family and community day, we can’t wait to see our tree grow and one day our daughter can go and pick fruit from the tree she helped plant.”
Some of the old orchard trees have been retained along with areas of existing grassland, and berry bearing shrubs will be planted later in the season.
The orchard floor will be managed as a wildflower meadow and log piles of dead wood, hedgehog houses and bee hives had been added for the village’s wildlife to thrive.
Log seating has also been provided for visitors and once the fruit from the trees is ready to be picked, residents are invited to help themselves.
Resident Michelle Coltman-Patel commented: “It was great to see the children hiding the hedgehog and bee boxes and planting wildflowers and seeds. It will be lovely when all the planting takes and the seating area will be great to relax in.”
Neil Avison added: “My lad loved the fact that he has planted a ‘twig’ that will one day be bearing fruit that he wants to try.”
Iain Simpson added that there was a fantastic community spirit despite the wet and windy weather and that he was surprised how many people made the effort to come and “dig in”.
Robert Galij, Planning Director at David Wilson Homes, said: “We understand the importance of nature in an environment and believe that open spaces improves a community’s quality of life. “We hope that the orchard will be treasured by the Greylees community for many years to come.”
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Weather for Sleaford
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
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