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You can eat a different English apple every day for more than six whole years yet the UK imports 69% of its apples. Two thirds of England's orchards have been lost since the 1950's and we are doing something about it!
In January 2010 Learning through Landscapes launched Fruit-full schools - an exciting new four year programme to enable thousands of young people across England to establish heritage fruit orchards within their school grounds in partnership with their local communities.
What’s more, Fruit-full Schools has just been nominated for the 2010 Sustainable City Awards - Local Food Category - for our innovative approach to increasing access to local variety, free and quality fruit in communities across London! | What is it?
We're working in partnership with Common Ground, the UK champion for local distinctiveness, and Garden Organic, the UK's guru in organic fruit tree production. Our combined expertise will support young people in 50 secondary schools - and an army of apple volunteers - to research local varieties, graft 2,000 new trees and establish sustainable orchards in 200 schools throughout England alone.
Fruit-full schools also aims to stimulate children's knowledge of England's rich fruit culture and diversity - and engage them in hands-on learning about the benefits of local fruit. A whopping 65,000 children are set to run and take part in cultural festivals such as Wassailing, Apple Day and other creative celebrations.
Schools will share experiences and access learning resources through the interactive 'The Core' - the online hub of all programme activities – currently under development and due to launch in April 2010.
In its fourth and final year Fruit-full schools culminates in a national campaign in which young people encourage members of the community to sample local fruit varieties and sign up to '100,000 Reasons Why I Love Local Fruit' campaign. A national scrumping competition will motivate children, their families and neighbours to gather and redistribute locally-grown and donated surplus produce to disadvantaged members of the community. OrganicLea, a London initiative that advised us in the development of this programme, collect 3 tonnes of free apples annually!
Project outline:
| Year 1 (Jan-Dec 2010) |
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o Selection of 50 lead Secondary schools - presented with a starter box of local heritage apples supplied by
the National Apple Collection, Common Ground’s book, ‘Apple Source’ and James White juices.
o School Apple Clubs map local orchards and research local heritage varieties to identify species for their own
orchards.
o Grafting scion woods and rootstock ordered |
| Year 2 (Jan-Dec 2011) |
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o Trained coordinators work with young people and volunteers to graft and care for young trees.
o Competition launched for best school orchard design (demonstrating research and learning e.g. pollination,
innovative use of space). All schools receive £1,000 with three top prizes of £4,000.
o 2yr old trees planted out in orchards (to ensure harvest by year 4 of the project). |
| Year 3 (Jan-Dec 2012) |
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o Pupils develop and run cultural events to celebrate new orchards and their local fruit varieties
o Grafted trees planted out and remaining trees gifted to local primary schools.
o Planting and tree care advice for primaries provided through peer learning by secondary pupils. |
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Year 4 (Jan - Dec 2013) |
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o Competition among Apple Clubs to see who can collect the most donations of surplus produce from their local
community and redistribute it amongst disadvantaged e.g. Surestart groups
o Fruit Apeel campaign to collect ‘100,000 Reasons Why…’ people in their community support local fruit. |
How is it Supported?
Fruit-full Schools is being facilitated by ten project coordinators across the country - each working with five secondary schools and their feeder primary schools (or Apple Pips!) in each region - to engage a total of 200 schools. Regional coordinators will be supported and managed by a national team, led by LTL. Garden Organic and the Royal Horticultural Society will provide technical training and ongoing advice. Common Ground brings its knowledge of heritage fruits and cultural festivals to this exciting programme partnership
How to get involved:
The shortlisting of secondary schools in each region is now complete.....overall, nearly 400 schools applied to take part!
For those of you interested in following the Fruit-full Schools programme, go to our website www.fruitfullschools.org for inspiring information and images, practical and easy-to-follow guidance for establishing your own orchard and cases studies, images and top tips straight from the young people involved.
Fruit-full Schools is funded by the Big Lottery's Local Food programme and by the City Bridge, Garfield Weston, John Spedan Lewis, Sir James Knott and 29th May 1961 Charitable Trusts, CHK Charities and The Worshipful Company of Gardeners.
Funding is now also being sought for Welsh and Scottish Fruit-full Schools programmes - also due to start later this year year! |
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