A community orchard in Telford is looking for volunteers to help keep things buzzing.
The Madeley Community Orchard has created two new ‘bee borders’ which are attracting large numbers of insects.
“The bees love all the flowers in the borders but we need more pairs of hands to keep them maintained,” said Jude Pilgrim, one of the volunteers who helps out at the two-acre walled garden off Mill Lane.
More than 50 fruit trees were planted at the site in 2002 and since then it has developed into a stunning green space for individuals, families and community groups to enjoy, with everything grown along organic lines.
It was established to promote change in the community around the areas of health, diet and exercise, to encourage people to work and play together, to use the site to learn new skills and to provide a place to relax and enjoy the outdoors.
Schools and brownies visit for activities such as pond dipping and every autumn local residents are invited to come and pick the fruit which has been grown.
Jude explained that volunteers met once a week on a Tuesday morning and could get involved in a range of gardening tasks, with new faces always welcome.
The land is leased by Madeley Town Council from Madeley United Charities, although Jude said that she hoped the ‘friends’ group would eventually be able to purchase the orchard in order to enhance it even further.
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