Derwen College Horticulture team plant mini orchard

The Horticulture team at Derwen College in Gobowen are delighted to have planted a new mini fruit orchard. Thanks to a generous donation of apple trees from the recycling company Veolia, the College’s green spaces are set to bloom with new life, offering fantastic educational opportunities for students.

The new orchard at Derwen College boasts five different varieties of British apple trees. These were lovingly planted by Head Gardener Don Pemberton, with enthusiastic help from Horticulture students, supported interns, and clients who work and live at the specialist further education college. In the coming years, all students will enjoy freshly picked apples, learning about the origins of their food and gaining valuable insights into food and nutrition.

Head Gardener Don was happy to find a suitable home for the five apple trees. He said: “Thanks to Veolia for providing us with these lovely fruit trees – five trees is officially an orchard. Horticulture students and clients have helped us to plant them, and we look forward to tasting the fruits over the coming years.”

Derwen College’s involvement in this initiative stems from a strong relationship between the College’s Walford campus, near Baschurch, and the Shrewsbury Recycling Centre. The centre’s staff have previously sourced unique items like an old-fashioned kettle and even an old tin bath for Horticulture students’ projects. The Walford team regularly visits the tip to recycle gardening waste from the college’s Leaf it To Us student gardening business.

The entire Derwen College community is thrilled to watch the orchard grow and flourish, bringing both environmental and educational benefits for years to come.

Since 2022, Veolia has delivered 1,085 fruit trees and 780 strawberry plants to 291 schools across the UK. This initiative, launched in 2022, aims to give young people the chance to experience the joys of working with nature while also boosting local biodiversity.

For more information, please contact Derwen College Communications Officer Eluned Watson at eluned.watson@derwen.ac.uk or telephone 01691 661234 ext 225.