Fruit trees for local youngsters

15th July 2014
Fruit trees for local youngsters

Gordon Henderson MP and local farmer Oliver Doubleday are beginning to see the realisation of their vision for an orchard to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The orchard, located next to Rodmersham Primary School in the middle of Rodmersham village, contains 216 fruit trees including 65 apple, 50 pear, 20 damson and plum, 7 quine, 56 cherry, 11 hazel and cobnut, 4 walnut, 2 chestnut and 1 mulberry tree.

The idea is for the Jubilee Orchard to be used by local primary schools as an educational and recreation tool.

Mr Henderson also celebrated the Jubilee by planting a silver birch tree in 2012 on behalf of his constituents in the grounds of the Garden of England Crematorium in Bobbing.

Mr Doubleday said:

“We planted this orchard in reaction to a suggestion from our MP, Gordon Henderson, that landowners should plant woods to commemorate Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee. I thought that here in Kent, the home of fruit growing, the Garden of England, it would be fun to plant an orchard of fruit.”

“We have planted this mixed orchard next to Rodmersham Primary School as an amenity for the community and as an educational resource for local schools. The trees have been grafted onto different root stocks showing how a farmer can control the size of his trees”.

Mr Henderson added:

“I am really grateful that when I challenged local landowners to deliver a Jubilee wood for the Queen, Oliver stepped up to the plate so enthusiastically. It was his idea to plant an orchard and use it for educational purposes and I thought it was an excellent idea.

“I think once the orchard is more mature it will provide many of our youngsters not only with a deeper knowledge of the importance of fruit growing to our local economy but also hours of enjoyment.”