We're lookng for a new key volunteer member

It’s harvest time … and if you’re lucky enough to have fruit trees you may find you have a lot of spare fruit you simply can’t use yourself.

Our Fruit for Free scheme is an online noticeboard where you can post details of available fruit that can be collected or harvested. Those who’d like fruit can then contact you directly. For full details click on this link  https://colwallorchardgroup.org/fruit-for-free.

Thank you to our lovely models - the wonderful Jilly and her gorgeous granddaughter Penelope!

Start 'em young we say!  We were delighted to welcome our newest member Penelope (Jilly Rosser's granddaughter) helping out with a bit of  mulching. There's clearly something in the genes! It's truly a delight to see children and young adults getting involved, albeit in this case under mum's watchful eye!  

As  the Summer is getting underway (crossing fingers here!) we're busy planning our visits from local schools - children love exploring the fauna and flora in the wildflower meadows and running around the apple  trees. They have fun and don't even realise that they're learning!

We  are looking for someone to help co-ordinate these visits and to take on  some other admin type roles as well here at Colwall Orchard Group. Perhaps you have considered volunteering but are concerned you don't  have the right skillsets, but would like to learn?  We are seeking a sound administrator to help with the general day to day of running COG - formal Board/Trustee Clerking is covered - we just need a go-getter who  can help keep us organised.  To find out more and have a general chat  please contact lindsay@colwallorchardgroup.org 

Colwall Village Garden allotments wouldn’t be  the wonderful place they are without the help of our trusted volunteers.

14 allotment holders turned up to our first Sunday Afternoon Allotment  Volunteering session – it was a bleak and damp day but that didn’t stop  them doing a great job! Flattening and edging around the main paths,  pruning and tidying the herb border by the apple shed, cleaning and  checking the shared tools – all washed down with delicious homemade  cakes and a cup of tea. Well done all – see you at the next session!

Part of COG's remit is education, and teaching practical orchard skills and sharing our knowledge is something we all enjoy doing. In February 2023 we held a traditional orchard training day for Wye Valley AONB. We planted new trees, pruned trees and collected mistletoe. Martin is pictured here giving a talk on traditional hedge laying.

It’s mid-January and after a two year Covid hiatus, Colwall  Orchard Group once more celebrated the New Year Wassail. This year’s  event was organised by the volunteers for the volunteers and their  families. Many have worked for COG throughout the years and at previous  wassails but have never got to take part in the ceremony. This year was  for them. Over 120 people gathered by the British Legion with flaming  torches burning brightly in the stiff breeze. Making lots of noise and  cries of Wassail!, our fiery procession snaked  across the muddy  darkened fields following the the brightly lit flares that marked the  public footpaths until we crossed under the decorated arches of the  orchard bridge into Luggs Mill. We were greeted by the fruit trees  twinkling with lights and a bonfire burned fiercely nearby. 

The  procession formed a circle around the wassail tree where the Master of  the Orchard made welcome and introduced the Butler who narrated the  story of the apple tree from its beginnings in Central Asia hilariously  re-enacted by Pomona and the bear. Our youthful volunteers played their  roles of Jenny Wren and Tom Tit perfectly and made offerings of toast  and cider to encourage the trees to put forth healthy buds and yield a  bountiful harvest. Adrian, our very own Colwall bard shared a rousing  Wassail poem and many then gathered around the bonfire raising their  voices to sing wassail songs in the crackling glow.  Afterwards we  returned across the fields to the warmth of the British Legion to share  drinks and snacks.

Many thanks to the staff there who laid on extra  snacks and made us so welcome despite our incredibly muddy boots. Big thanks too to Bob Levy who put so much work and thought into overseeing the organisation of this year’s event and of course to the volunteers  who made it happen.

Waes Hael!

Alison and Sue spent a happy morning turning  the compost during one of our Sunday morning volunteer sessions – one of  the many jobs that are carried out by Colwall Orchard Group volunteers,  perhaps not the most illustrious of tasks but at least they’re smiling!

There’s  always plenty to do on ‘volunteer Friday’. This month the team are busy  planting trees (a mere 174 of them), laying hedges and winter pruning.  All out in the open air, keeping fit, learning new skills, and working  with friends old and new.

Our  volunteers are all members of Colwall Orchard Group. From just £6 per  year we offer a physical, mental and social work out to beat the best gym membership around. At Colwall Orchard Group we:

• Look after our land at Colwall Village Garden and Lugg’s Mill Orchard.
• Care  for our local environment through traditional methods of hedge laying,  building ponds, creating wildflower meadows, tending our fruit trees,  adopting best practices for our local environment and biodiversity.
• Share  our knowledge and enthusiasm for orchards and wildlife by demonstrating  and teaching practical orchard skills such as pruning and grafting,  meadow creation and hedgerow management.
• Hold  our regular volunteer sessions to work both in our allotments and  orchards. No experience necessary – just a desire to take part and enjoy  a bit of exercise.
• Organise community events and enjoy being a key part of what makes Colwall such a wonderful place to live.

Do get in touch – we hope you’ll join us!

We kickstarted the festive season in early December with our traditional ‘Colwall Mistletoe Fair’.  On a very crisp morning COG members gathered to sell homemade jams, juices, chutneys and jellies, beautiful handmade festive wreaths, handmade crafts and bird boxes, mulled apple juice and, of course, bunches of mistletoe harvested from a local orchard.  Our thanks to ‘Provisions of Colwall’ for lending us the space, to all our members for their time and creativity, and thank you to everyone who came along to support us … making an early start on their Christmas shopping!

Wishing you a Happy Christmas, and a fruitful 2023.