Orchard honouring Queen Elizabeth II will soon take root

A COMMUNITY orchard will be planted in the town’s open space, Vivash Park, later this month to commemorate the late Queen Elizabeth ll, with help from the Rotary Club of Westbury. 

The council says the establishment of The Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Orchard will support their aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and provide fruit in the years to come. 

The town council says, “The planting of 21 orchard and blossom trees will provide the community with free delicious fruit for years to come and create a habitat that will also be a great food source for all kinds of local wildlife. We will be planting eating apples, cooking apples, cherries, plums, and pears to start with. The planting is scheduled for Tuesday 14th November, pending tree delivery. 

“Prior to this, there will be preparatory work carried out; this will include the mowing of pathways and marking tree locations. We want to create a space that people of all ages can enjoy and engage with nature, whilst enhancing the biodiversity within Vivash Park.

“We declared a climate emergency in 2020 and our aim is to reduce emissions and work towards being carbon neutral by 2030. Planting trees will help to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it into fresh, clean oxygen. 

“Compared to other forms of food-growing, fruit trees are relatively low-maintenance and are a fantastic way to sustainably produce food.” 

Vivash Park is an 11-acre urban park, positioned off Slag Lane and Hawkeridge Road.