Planting Ceremony

The first apple trees in the orchard were planted at a formal ceremony on Saturday 23rd February. HICOP would like to thank all those who turned out for the event in spite of the rather inclement weather.

Max Parish, Chairman of Histon and Impington Parish Council, planted the first tree alongside HICOP Chair Paul Christie. The ceremony was also attended by Ray Manning, leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC). SCDC have provided a £1,000 grant towards the cost of establishing the orchard.

The planting ceremony was covered by the Cambridge Evening News.

One of the younger volunteers watering in a tree

Volunteers dig in

After the formal ceremony, the HICOP volunteers got on with the planting of another 18 apple trees on the Guided Busway side of the orchard. This included digging the holes, planting the trees, doing any initial pruning that was required (Cllr Manning was enormously helpful with the pruning), mulching, and erecting the stock proof fencing and rabbit mesh to protect the trees.

Despite the cold weather, everyone worked extremely hard and by early afternoon the initial 19 tress were all in.

HICOP would also like to thank Hain Celestial for running in a water supply for the orchard from their factory, without which all of this would be much more of a struggle.

Photos of the day