Orchard For Manchester: Volunteers Needed

As revealed in this story a couple of weeks ago St John’s Gardens is to receive the gift of an orchard. 

Thus Castlefield will become more apple-eeling. Er...right. 

We reckon not many people have dug a hole in the city centre and planted a tree. This is your opportunity.

The orchard is part of a garden than won a Gold Award at the recent RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park. It was designed by Daniela Coray and will add to the core benefits of the area by helping St John’s pip other gardens in the city centre. We’ll stop the bad puns now. Ground work is already taking place in preparation for planting. 

BUT - as this will be maintained and managed by residents and workers in the locality - help is required. Castlefield Forum and the city centre management company, Cityco, are looking for volunteers to help plant the new trees, hedges and flowers from Tuesday 9 August to Thursday 11 August. 

Everyone is welcome, with work starting around 11am each day, and equipment provided.

Surely lots of people might want to donate an hour of their lunch time to help beautify the city centre? Maybe leave off the gym and work up a sweat in some lovely gardens instead. Whatever the motive, volunteers will be able to re-visit with friends and family over the years and say, "I did that."

The orchard here is all part of a process. Already pocket gardens and planting are starting to transform Castlefield - coordinated by the Residents Forum, Cityco and the City Council. You can check out the Forum's website here.

Below are some pictures of Granary Gardens above the Outdoor Arena, the repaired Sheep sculpture by Ted Roocroft and the cleared area between the Oxnoble and the White Lion pubs on Liverpool Road. Special mention of resident Carol Standfield's indefatigable efforts should be mentioned in dispatches. 

The crucial area is the aforementioned part along Liverpool Road. The Forum is waiting with bated breath to see what exciting proposals will be forthcoming from design practice BDP. Get rid of that useless fence, drop three trees, and encourage everybody to wander into the Roman fort and canal basin area is what Confidential says. 

Don't forget the short term though. Don't forget next week

We reckon not many people have dug a hole in the city centre and planted a tree. This is your opportunity.

Contact Gary Ellis at Cityco (gary.ellis@cityco.com) if you'd like to help out from Tuesday 9 August to Thursday 11 August. The Editor of Confidential will be there for an hour or two. Gordo might even come and watch from a picnic table. With some foie gras and Chateauneuf du Pape.