About this park/green space

The group from the beginning has had community involvement: which has included: • Local schoolchildren involved in planting, logo design and ongoing educational activities • Created a section in library for books on orchards and fruit growing • Links with other community groups to encourage use, eg. U3A photography group, allotment society, walking groups, reading group • Community events, e.g. popular September ‘Apple Day as part of the New Mills Festival and a stall at the One World Festival. • Tree adoption and memorials schemes • Use of local people in creation and operation of the orchard, through Friends of New Mills Orchard Group • Use of the Orchard encouraged by regular newslettesr delivered to local people, leaflets widely distributed, website www.nmco.org.uk, events and frequent press coverage • Links also forged with other Derbyshire community orchard groups at Hayfield, Buxton and Bradwell Our achievements have included: • Original funding for the initial 100 trees secured from Healthy Living Network and Greenwatch in 2005. Local schoolchildren plant trees. • Approximately £9,000 secured for access and habitat improvements, planting, tools, artwork, signing and interpretation, publicity and training from ‘Breathing Places’ lottery award in 2007. • Visits from other Derbyshire community orchard groups, August 2009 • First major event ‘Apple Day’ held in September 2009, proved very popular. • We took part in the Tree O Clock scheme