A fruitful partnership sees new community orchard planted in Chilwell

The Mayor of Broxtowe, Councillor Teresa Cullen was joined by partners to plant four varieties of fruit trees on Friday 16 February 2024. 

The new orchard comprises of thirteen fruit trees and includes apple, pear, plum and cherry which will provide a variety of fruits that can be harvested by residents throughout the growing season. The free fruit that will grow in the orchard will provide a helpful resource through the challenging cost-of-living crisis as it provides a locally grown source of food for the community.

These trees will also supply shade and habitat for animals and help store carbon dioxide, providing cleaner air quality, all whilst helping to mitigate against climate change.

The Council have also made the most of the available resources as the old bark chips from the nearby play area have been reused as mulch for the trees. This will help to support the new orchard, reduce waste and the need for watering.

Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change, Councillor Helen Skinner said, “The orchard will be a valuable addition to this lovely park. I look forward to seeing the trees bear fruit, in years to come, for residents to enjoy. It’s a great idea to use the bark from the play area as mulch.”

The orchard is part of a wider programme of improvements at Cator Lane Recreation Ground, including improvements to its play area, accessible rubber surfacing and an inclusive play panel.

This work has been carried out as part of the Council’s Climate Change and Green Futures strategy, which sets out its plans for tackling climate change and reducing the carbon emissions of its own operations to become carbon neutral by December  2027.