Last week, our Milton Keynes Green Gym volunteers worked their magic at the Wolverton Community Orchard, a green oasis wedged between Western Road and Furze Way. The orchard is well-known for its ‘dragon mountain’ earth sculpture and boasts over 50 fruit trees, of which the fruits are eaten by residents and used by the Wolverton Community Orchard Group for events like the annual Apple Day.
The Milton Keynes Green Gym are doing two sessions in the orchard. During the first session, the rosemary hedge, planted some eight years ago, was cut back, grass and weeds from the dragonfly pond and bog garden area were cleared and hazel trees along the wildlife path were trimmed back. Monique van Assouw, Community Project Officer at The Conservation Volunteers, said: "It really is amazing what a dozen people can achieve in a couple of hours. It is magical!"
Thursday 4th October is the second and last session at the orchard. Much of the work will be done in the sensory garden, such as weeding the raised beds and the thyme wheel, chopping back brambles and pruning back jasmine shrubs. Both the Milton Keynes Green Gym and the Wolverton Community Orchard Group volunteers are keen to tackle as many jobs as possible, especially with their popular annual Apple Day event coming up. Everybody is welcome to join in.
Monique van Assouw, Community Project Officer, says: "The Conservation Volunteers are delighted to have received funding from HealthStrong, which will help us to improve the health & wellbeing of people in Milton Keynes. The Milton Keynes Green Gym is a great opportunity to get outdoors, meet people and get active while also helping to improve the local environment".