Spring is here at Newquay Orchard. The apple trees are blossoming, wildlife is flourishing, and our community are enjoying time outdoors.
Growing Futures students learnt how to put up a polytunnel in April. This was a big achievement and a huge help to the Newquay Orchard team as well as the development of the our community supported agriculture scheme, which aims to soon provide affordable veg boxes for local families, education opportunities and celebrating seasonal produce. Using teamwork, the group of 16 – 18 year olds worked alongside Newquay Orchard’s horticulture team to successfully pull the sheet of plastic over the 4m high frame in one synchronised movement. This space will be used for crop propagation before planting out into the 4 acres of market garden beds.
It’s not been all work though; the students also took part in an Easter egg hunt around the Orchard. Recycled paper origami eggs folded out into riddles which the students had to answer to find the next clue. They enjoyed the trail and, of course, enjoyed hard-earned chocolate.
Easter weekend was a-buzz with people of all ages. Sharing this space with the community is becoming an increasingly important part of our unique offer and we are seeing more and more organisations are operating for our greenspace. The Cornwall Bicycle Project held a Bike Festival educating the community on the benefits of cycling for mental and physical health and promoting bikes a low carbon form of travel. The CIC gave free bike MOT’s, built up people’s confidence with cycling proficiency sessions and led a ‘ride out’ to get people cycling around Newquay together. Meanwhile, neighbouring NQY Sports Centre led youngsters on an Easter egg hunt through the Orchard seeing our two organisations coming together to engage families in fun.
Other organisations visiting the Orchard this month included: students from Falmouth University studying our sustainable business model; the Green Waste Company filming one of their compost deliveries to show how the Orchard leads in sustainable horticulture; and Exeter University, who hosted a day of workshops on the circular economy for Cornish businesses.
Newquay Orchard volunteers celebrated Easter with a social event in the An Lowarth grow space sharing cups of tea and homemade cakes baked by volunteers. They played lawn games and enjoyed each other’s company in the new volunteer hub.
Across the Orchard this month, volunteers have been sowing wildflower seeds to attract pollinators and help wildlife thrive and planted 12 Cornish variety apple trees in our community garden. Volunteers have also taken part in nature wellbeing sessions facilitated by Newquay Orchard’s Delivery Officers who are currently undergoing training to learn more about nature therapy to support volunteer wellbeing.