simonandeleanor

Sponsored Walk around the Orchard: raising money to twin our compost toilet!

Toilet Twinning is helping to transform lives in some of the poorest places on the planet. Vulnerable households will: learn about the importance of sanitation and hygiene; build their own loo; gain access to clean water; enjoy better health – and take a massive step out of generational poverty.

We are holding a sponsored walk around the Orchard to raise funds to twin our compost toilet. We are planning to walk 84 circuits of the orchard.

£60 lets us twin with one toilet, if we raise more than this it will be brilliant because we can twin with more toilets!

Moth Identification Day

There was a great turnout of members and their families to see how many different species of moth we had caught in the moth traps in the Orchard. Here are just a few of them, and a list of the moths we found. It highlights the great diversity of wildlife in the orchard! Many thanks to Terry and Viv for organising this.

A Bird’s Eye View

We recently has some ariel photos taken of the Orchard and Margery Flatts Allotments. These amazing photos, taken using a drone by Barrie McDermid, they show the scale and layout of the Orchard and allotments. It’s hard to believe but just a few years ago this was just a grassy field.

New Arrival!

An orchid has been spotted growing in the orchard. It may be a Common Spotted Orchard and we will update this post when this has been confirmed. Another example of the diverse wild life flourishing in the Orchard.

Update! This is a Common Spotted Orchard and we found another one when looking for the first orchid!

Summer Solstice

Two of our Orchard members set an early alarm so they could watch the Summer Solstice from the Orchard. Standing in front of the Walnut tree was the ideal place to watch the sunrise.

Walnut Trees and Jubilee Oaks

Several years ago we planted a walnut tree. This year there is a hint that we might have our first walnuts in the Autumn. We also have a special oak tree growing by the entrance to the Orchard. In 2012 trees were planted all around the UK as a way of celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. We received an oak tree which is now thriving. The oak tree is situated to the left of the entrance gate.