Funding awarded to support community orchards

The funding has been allocated by the UK government through The Coronation Living Heritage Fund, which celebrates the coronation of King Charles III and supports tree planting projects nationwide and honours the King's dedication to preserving the natural environment.

Wealden council is asking schools, residents' associations, village hall trusts, parish and town councils, businesses, community and voluntary groups, charities, not for profit organisations, and landowners with publicly accessible land to apply for grants between £1,000 and £3,500.

The aim is to bring fruit and nut trees back to life and make orchards thrive.

Applications to apply for a grant is open for eight weeks and will close Friday 10 May 2024 at 5pm. For more information and how to apply go to our Climate Change Hub on Let's Talk Wealden or contact [email protected]

Planting will take place in autumn/winter 2024-2025, allowing plenty of time to plan the orchard appropriately.

A Wealden council spokesperson, said, "To be able to save and regenerate our orchards within our communities is a wonderful thing and we should all be aiming to preserve orchards and the species that thrive in them for years to come. The fund allows the council to facilitate new planting and restoration of more orchards.

"This is an exciting opportunity for schools to educate children, residents' associations to encourage social interaction and landowners and local councils and businesses to give our roadsides, parks and green spaces a welcoming invite to passers by or local residents."

Notes to editors:

The Coronation Living Heritage Fund supported by £2.5m in funding has been made available through Defra's £758m Nature for Climate Fund to allow county, unitary, metropolitan, London borough, district and city local authorities the chance to apply for up to two grants for projects ranging between £10,000 and £50,000. The funding will support the development of micro woods and community orchards to commemorate the King's Coronation. Funds can be distributed across projects in their area.

Through the England Trees Action Plan and supported by the £758m Nature for Climate Fund Defra will help to transform the treescape and the forestry sector helping to put the UK on track to meet net zero targets, reverse the decline in nature and support economic growth.