Community Orchards

Between Lenthay Road and South Avenue, not far from the cemetery is an open space that has been left undeveloped for many years. It’s about half an acre of grass and is maintained by  regular mowing. Currently the area is probably used for exercising dogs and possibly by young people , and provides a cut through to central Sherborne. Apart from a couple of hawthorn bushes at the bottom end there is nothing to encourage any birds or other wildlife, and nothing to draw people into the park.
Over the past few years some Sherborne residents have been working on the idea of a community orchard. During lockdown we created a new communal orchard on a vacant plot on McCreery Road Allotments and 15 fruit trees were planted with a hedge as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy.
But the Lenthay Road plot offers the remarkable opportunity to transform the land as a true community orchard with space for a mixture of elements such as a new playground, hard standing for ball games,  hedges and wilder areas. Other possibilities include a shelter for use by primary schoolchildren, nurseries or cubs.
Sherborne town council has indicated that they are likely to support and lead the project subject to meetings in February
There will be opportunities for any one interested to get involved and we hope that Dorset Wildlife’s Wilder communities will be involved as well as local fruit growers.