Birmingham TreePeople and the Minworth Action Projects are supporting biodiversity and developing green spaces, by planting a community orchard for Minworth residents, thanks to funding from The Tree Council’s Branching Out Fund.

Branching Out provides grants ranging from £250 to £2,500 in value to community groups, schools, small registered charities, and Tree Warden Networks, seeking to establish trees, hedgerows, and orchards throughout the winter planting season.

This year, Birmingham TreePeople successfully secured grant support through the Branching Out Fund, and will be planting 25 fruit trees in the Mid-Point Park, Minworth.We are also being kindly sponsored by Frank Matthews.

Lawrence Weston, Trustee for Orchards for Birmingham TreePeople said:

We are very excited to be planting a community orchard in Minworth. This project has been in the works for several years, and we’re excited to finally realise the vision of local residents, who initially approached the council in 2022.

People are invited to join us to help plant the 25 fruit trees in Mid-point Park, at 10:30am on Saturday 11th January 2025. We will meet at the entrance on the Old Kingsbury Road, just southeast of The Boat Inn.

Now in its 18th year, Branching Out has supported hundreds of projects in communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, delivering new habitats for wildlife, and a green living legacy for residents and visitors to enjoy, from Cornwall to Carmarthenshire, and Fife to Fermanagh.

The Tree Council Grants Officer, Geraldine Creaven said: “Branching Out presents a fantastic opportunity for schools and community groups large and small to get their spades in the ground, and start establishing life enhancing and biodiversity boosting trees, hedgerows, and orchards in their neighbourhoods. We’re so thrilled for all our successful applicants, especially Birmingham TreePeople!”