Welcome to Jesmond Community Orchard’s 12th Annual Report. Fortunately the natural world is impervious to human infection. Many people who have never visited before have valued the Orchard over the past year as an aid to well-being, meeting friends in a safe outdoor setting, walking the dog or just sitting quietly as part of their permitted walks. A small survey of visitors produced very consistent comments that they enjoy the Orchard because it is sheltered and peaceful.
Looking at the year since last July, we have tried to make up for not holding public events by adapting to online delivery, with mixed success. Instead of our usual autumn Apple Day, we ran a week-long Virtual Apple Extravaganza, including some short videos demonstrating apple juicing, beekeeping and a brief introduction to the cemetery. The Orchard was one of the locations for the ever-popular Toffee Apple Ted Trail, we gave a talk through Jesmond Library’s regular series, and offered apple-based recipes. We also took part in Urban Green’s Newcastle Allotment Show online.
We reacted to the loss of mature trees from the wider cemetery by collaborating with West Jesmond Primary School and Newcastle City Council in a bid for funding from the Tree Council to replant some larger specimens. This has been a great success, and we hope we can gradually increase the tree cover, adding to the biodiversity and attractiveness of St Andrew’s Cemetery.
School children planted the new trees in December and later planted out the apple trees they had grafted the previous year along a new cordon next to the cemetery wall. We now have over 100 apples varieties and many other types of fruit. We were also gifted a graft from the famous Cubbington Pear, an ancient tree cut down to make way for HS2.
Percy Hedley students have returned to carry out work experience with our volunteers.
Due to covid restrictions we were unable to run our usual courses in pruning and grafting this year, but we did attempt DIY grafting, with materials delivered to participant’s doors and an online video. This doesn’t seem to have been very successful unfortunately. We continue to work with Alistair Robinson and the Northern Fruit Group to promote fruit growing in the North East.
Instead of our usual Wassailing event in January we invited people to tie coloured ribbons to the trees, and a giant papier maché robin graced the Orchard for a few weeks. We were able to join in the Jesmond Community Festival in May, with an increased number of activities, including a nature trail, a craft day for families, guided walks through the cemetery, and Italian poetry and music. And our ever-popular plant stall raised funds to continue the work, despite torrential rain.
There has been a lot of praise for our small team of volunteers who maintain the Orchard, organise educational activities and fundraise to support its work. But this doesn’t translate into significant numbers of helpers.
One anxiety of our committee is the lack of younger people who want to become involved. Understandably time is precious to people with young families, but it is noticeable that our most active members are elderly. This is a worry because as we age we won’t be able to sustain the necessary energy and commitment. Many voluntary organisations face the same ticking clock.
I am very grateful for our enthusiastic committee members who offer their time and skills to support the development and activities of the Community Orchard.
Fiona Clarke, Chair
