Welsh community orchards have got Plaid’s backing, following a visit by Chris Franks.
Mr Franks visited a Wenvoe community orchard that was planted by volunteers from Bridgend College. The project was funded by the Welsh government as part of the Tidy Towns scheme. Keep Wales Tidy works with community groups that carry out environmental enhancement projects.
Wenvoe Wildlife Group and Bruce McDonald were on hand to help the Bridgend students. The community orchard was planted on farmland owned by Richard Reader.
Plaid’s Chris Franks, who is standing for re-election on May 5th as a South Wales Central AM said: “I was pleased as a Plaid member to take part in this event. This community orchard shows how we can create a better environment by working together. All the groups involved ensured that the community orchard will be available for people to enjoy in the future. Listening to the young people it was obvious how much enjoyment they had because they were out in the open air. Community orchards are a great way of getting exercise for people from all walks of life and at every age.
“As well as Wenvoe Wildlife Group we should also congratulate the many local groups such as the Llantwit Major Woodlands Group, Gwyrddio Penarth Greening, Fforchneol Allotments Society in the Cynon Valley along with Taff’s Well and Nantgarw Allotment Association for their hard work to preserve fruited trees and ensure we expand our biodiversity.
“Plaid in government has shown support to community orchards, but now it is time to do more. Our greenprint for the future outlines setting up a community land bank, so the Welsh government could offer long-term leases to food co-operative projects and allotments.
“Sometimes we look but we don’t see the beautiful country, in which we live – our parks, our valleys, our beaches – we may take them for granted but like you we want to protect them for future generations to enjoy and explore.”
Plaid Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones added: “I am a firm supporter of community growing, as evidenced by the community grown food action plan that I launched in July last year. Community orchards are something that will be considered as part of the work being done to take that action plan forward.”
