Volunteers needed for new community orchard

A local group has put a call out for local volunteers to help plant a new community orchard in Montgomery Street Park on the 26th of January.

The Friends of Montgomery Street Park were awarded funding through the Leith Decides participatory budgeting event that took place in December last year.

Volunteers are needed to help prepare the ground so that pupils from Leith Walk Primary School can plant the trees later on in the day.

Head Teacher Stewart Crabb wrote to say how excited they are at the prospect:

“The orchard project presents a wonderful opportunity for the school to become further involved in the community. Our children would be involved from the planting stage through growing and harvest of the apples. This presents children with a chance to grow an interest and curiosity for trees. The harvesting stage would help us encourage healthy eating.”

Greener Leith would like to extend our whole hearted support to the Friends, as this project will provide a lasting improvement to the area and compliments other local food projects in the area that Greener Leith has supported like the Leith Links Childrens Orchard, the Pilrig Park berry hedge and the Persevere Community Garden.

Later this year we'll also be looking for volunteers to help plant some more free public food trees and bushes in Pilrig Park and Leith Links. More details on those events to follow.

In the meantime, you can find out more about the Montgomery Street Park Planting event on their Facebook page.