New Community Orchard Planted at Uckfield
Volunteers braved the winter weather to plant 40 heritage fruit trees in a new community green space on the edge of town.
A disused corner of land beside the Uck river in Uckfield has been transformed into a community orchard, thanks to the efforts of more than sixty volunteers who turned out on a crisp January morning to get the first trees in the ground.
The orchard features forty heritage apple, pear and plum varieties — many of them traditional Sussex cultivars that were at risk of being lost. The project was funded by a combination of National Lottery Heritage Fund money and donations from local businesses.
"In a few years, anyone will be able to come here and pick fruit for free," says project coordinator Alina Marsh. "It's about giving something back to the community and reconnecting people with the land."