New Orchard Blooms!
The new Orchard at the QEII Jubilee Gardens Bewdley is to be
officially launched on Monday 24th May
2010 by Chairman of Council, Councillor Gordon
Yarranton.
One of the main attractions of the new orchard
is the unique natural play area which features sculptures large
enough for children to play on made from local oak and sweet
chestnut and other natural materials. This is the first
natural play area of its type in the Midlands and has been
supported by £25,000 of funding from Playbuilder.
The one-off games sculptures have been
designed and made specially for the new orchard and include a
chequers board, shove half penny, noughts and crosses and a brand
new game ‘plum it’ as well as a big apple core which is over 6ft
tall!
All the play sculptures, created by Woodland
Ways and a local wildlife artist have been designed with young
people in mind, although they will appeal to all age groups.
Councillor Tracey Onslow, Wyre Forest District
Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Partnership Services
said,
“The natural sculptures are really beautiful
in their own right and we’re sure that young people will enjoy
playing on and around them for future generations. We share the
sculptor’s vision that they will become talking points and
educational props for school trips. They make the orchard unique
and we feel this is a wonderful legacy for the local community to
enjoy for years to come.”
Wyre Forest District Council has worked in
partnership with local organisations and schools to create a
traditional orchard at the southern end of the QE II Jubilee
Gardens, which adjoin Bewdley Museum. This is part of a wider
community project designed to reverse the decline in the number of
orchards, both county and countrywide.
At the launch event, all children will be
given a free apple supplied by Bewdley Farm Shop.
Date of Issue - 19 May 2010
