Staff and volunteers at Coventry charity Crow Recycling have planted an orchard in the garden so
that the name of the premises finally makes sense.
The charity is based at Orchard House in Sparkbrook Street, Hillfields,
but despite the building’s name  there were no fruit trees in sight.
That all changed with a National Lottery funded gardening project and
now there are Heritage apple, pear, medlar, damson and plum trees growing in the garden.
They  include the Wyken Pippin, a traditional Coventry variety of apple named for the
Wyken area of the city, and a Warwickshire Drooper plum.
 Crow Recycling provides work placements and volunteering opportunities
for disabled people, mainly adults and teenagers with learning difficulties.
The charity’s service users were keen to learn about gardening.
Crow teamed up with not for profit community gardening organisation
Team Springboard CIC to set up a small food growing project in the garden behind the
premises. The orchard is part of the project.
 Crow Recycling office manager Lucy Lynch said: “We don’t know how the
building got its name. Nobody can remember there ever being an orchard
nearby. It needed putting right and planting an orchard was the best way
to do it.
 “We’re  excited to have  some traditional varieties, especially
Coventry’s very own Wyken Pippin. Our service users are looking forward
to harvesting fruit that wouldn’t be available on supermarket shelves.
The apples and plums, along with the other fruit we grow, will be shared
between the people who grow it and local food hubs and social
supermarkets.
 “The orchard is part of a gardening project funded by the National
Lottery Community Fund. We’re  grateful to National Lottery players for
helping to make this happen.”
Team Springboard horticultural manager Esther Kovacs said: It is a
wonderful opportunity to teach people about food growing, the service users, staff
and even customers really enjoy the green space – I love seeing the joy when
people take part in growing, and even eat the fresh produce! Although
amazing, these heritage trees will take a few years to grow and fruit, it is
a great investment for the future; help us fight climate change;
feed people, help wildlife and even give Coventry extra oxygen and
fight pollution!
“They also have some fun names like Ashmead’s Kernel, Damson Merryweather
and Nottingham medlar, plus more! Very proud to be able to take part in the
planning, growing, teaching and hopefully harvesting in the future – with our generous funders –
like the National Lottery’s help.”
The fruit trees came from The Heritage Fruit Tree Company, based in
Oxfordshire.
 Crow Recycling was set up in 1985 to provide work placements and
volunteering opportunities for disabled people through recycling and
reuse.
The Wyken Pippin is believed to have been introduced to Coventry from Holland more than 300
years ago by local aristocrat Lord Craven.