A fruitful legacy for Wythenshawe on World Environment Day
Real Food Wythenshawe, the lottery funded project managed by Wythenshawe Community Housing Group to support local residents and community groups to grow, cook and eat their own food, has teamed up with Laing O'Rourke and partners to help create a 'fruitful' legacy as part of this year's World Environment Day.
Laing O'Rourke and partners working on the MPT Manchester Metrolink have kindly donated 25 fruit trees to the project - an excellent tie in with the "Think. Eat. Save." ethos of this year's World Environment Day. It also has particular historical relevance for Wythenshawe, as explained by their Environmental Manager, Andy Campuzano; ""When Wythenshawe was originally built in the 1930s, the aspiration was to be a garden city and every house built had a fruit tree in the garden," said Andrew. "We thought it would be a good idea to donate the fruit trees, as a positive environmental gesture, but one with a definite nod to the area's local history."
These fruit trees, with the help of local landscapers Ground Control, have been planted across community groups in Wythenshawe, including The Young People's Support Foundation, Macmillan Cancer Research's volunteer centre at Wythenshawe hospital, the offices of Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, The Dandelion Community – a gardening group ran at a local church and The Crossacres Cultivators - a gardening group at a local Age Concern community centre for over 60s.
Jacqueline Naraynsingh, Real Food Programme Manager for Wythenshawe Community Housing Group said the local groups were ecstatic with the trees, and particularly pleased with the 70 tonnes of top soil and extra compost that were also delivered. "MPT have been absolutely fantastic and the community groups have been blown away by their kindness and generosity." said Jacqueline. "These groups do fantastic work to teach people the value of eating healthily and sustainably, so it's great that their members and the local community will be able to help themselves to fresh fruit from their trees."
Anyone wanting to find out more and get involved with the Real Food Wythenshawe campaign should contact Jacqueline Naraynsingh on 0161 946 7554.
