The Transition Town Wellington (TTW) group got down and thoroughly dirty at the weekend when they planted dozens of fruit trees in the communal woodland alongside the Sports Centre. Organiser Hilary Gillingham said, “We’re planting eight different types of fruit – including apples, pears and cherries – for people to enjoy the harvest in the future.”
This is the second planting the TTW group has undertaken this month. “Last weekend we planted 12 morello cherry trees at the edge of the 2nd rugby pitch – with 8 new people coming to help plant them too!” Hilary said. “By 2017 they’ll be producing sour cherries to use in cherry pies and jam, and we’ll encourage local people to come and harvest them. There’ll be recipes explaining how to cook them on our website ttw.org.uk – and they’ll have beautiful blossom in the spring which you should be able see from the Sports Centre steps in the years to come.”
Following the success of the group’s third annual Seed Swap at the Dolphin Inn this month which raised £44 from donations, TTW are running a series of free talks for gardeners who would like to learn how to grow organic vegetables. The first is on Wednesday 24 February at the Methodist Church from 6.30pm to 8pm. Hilary said, “Everyone is welcome – from the very beginner to the more experienced gardener. Leftover seeds from the Seed Swap will also be available. It’s free to attend, although the written notes are £1. We would like to encourage everyone to experience the joy and reward of growing things.”
TTW is part of the world-wide Transition Network, a community-led process that encourages and supports sustainable projects in the production of food, energy and transport and takes account of health, psychology of change, economics and livelihoods. It recognises the finite supply of the earth’s resources and the effects of climate change. To find out more about the local group go to ttw.org.uk.