Generous gifts to community orchard

Montgomery Energy Group (MEG) has been gifted some raised beds and a pear tree for the town’s Community Orchard, which are now in place, ready for soil and planting.

The raised beds were generously donated to the orchard by Gwyneth Depport who is moving away from Montgomery to be closer to her grandchildren, and wanted the raised beds, which her late husband Alan had made for her, to become part of the Community Orchard.

She has also given the orchard a Snowdon Queen pear tree, now christened Gwyneth, and some rhubarb.

“All of these are a perfect addition to the orchard, which lies on a piece of land in the junction between the Newtown and Welshpool roads at the bottom of town,” said a spokesperson.

“The orchard was established following a license agreement with Powys County Council in 2017, spearheaded by Clinton Small and MEG with support from the Community Land Advisory Service (CLAS), and saw its first fruit trees - five rare Welsh fruit trees from Bunners - planted in April 2018.  

As soon as Covid restrictions allow, MEG volunteers will join a working party to fill and plant the beds and carry out other tidying at the orchard so it can continue to be enjoyed and appreciated by anyone in the town.” 

PICTURE: John Kneale and Jeremy Thorp with the new additions.