Waitrose staff join in scheme to plant 16 fruit trees in Dorchester (From Dorset Echo)

Waitrose staff join in scheme to plant 16 fruit trees in Dorchester

1:00pm Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Harry Hogger

STAFF from a Dorchester supermarket got their hands dirty to help new trees take root at the town’s community orchard.

Waitrose donated 16 mixed fruit trees to the orchard as part of the partnership’s 75th anniversary celebrations.

Mel Roberts, personnel manager at the Tudor Arcade store, put forward the community orchard as the recipient of the trees and staff members Craig Foster, George Palmer and Tony Benoy went down to the orchard to help plant them.

Department manager Mark Andre said: “We were taking time out of our day-to-day role, supporting a variety of organisations to give back to the community, and passing on valuable skills to make a tangible difference.

“This also provides our partners with the opportunity to develop new skills, which they can apply within their working and personal lives.”

Jenny Shackleford from Transition Town Dorchester, which promotes sustainability and has three orchards in the town, said the organisation was ‘very excited’ to receive the trees.

She added: “The orchards have been developed so that a wide variety of people can learn to grow fruit and make our community more resilient in an uncertain future.

“The fact that Waitrose has been able to support us in developing local food sources is great.

“The orchards are currently worked by local Transition volunteers but have also provided opportunities for other groups.

“We welcome any new volunteers to help maintain and plant to increase biodiversity and sustain the special eco system of an orchard.”

For more information about Transition Towns Dorchester and their work in the community please visit transitiontown dorchester.org You can also find out more from the group’s Facebook page.