A PIE and a pint are usually the order of the day on match days, but at FC United, the supporter owned and run football club founded by Manchester United fans in 2005, they’re now more likely to be apple pies and cider, rather than your usual meat and potato washed down with lager.
A merry team of enthusiastic volunteers from the club have already received specific orchard training in planting, mulching, pruning and harvesting
This week, thanks to a wider initiative by Helping Britain Blossom, a nationwide project planning to create 100 UK community orchards by 2017, FC United’s ground will be the new home of 22 red-apple-bearing fruit trees which have been relocated with the help of local delivery partner Red Rose Forest.
Red Rose Forest are part of a new movement – Manchester City of Trees, which aims to plant a tree for every man, woman and child in Greater Manchester over the next two decades.
A further 34 apple trees have also been relocated from the community orchard at The Moss Gardens which had been established at the iconic former Stagecoach bus depot site, but is soon to be developed into housing.
FC United is renowned not only for its football but for its community spirit and environmentally-friendly ethos. They plan to use the donations to create an ‘avenue of trees’ at their Broadhurst Park ground, featuring not just the relocated apple trees, but a wider variety of red fruit trees including cherry and plum, chosen to match the team colours.
At the peak of the apple season, around October-time, football fans and local residents will be able to help themselves to fruit produced by the established trees. They can then be used for cider production, home baking or munching on throughout the match – but obviously not for throwing at the ref or the opposition.
FC United fans will soon have their own orchard
A merry team of enthusiastic volunteers from the club have already received specific orchard training in planting, mulching, pruning and harvesting. FC United member, bee keeper and head of ‘The Diggers’, Richard Searle (main image, left) explains, “As well as being passionate football fans, we’re equally as passionate about building a community-based club that is environment and wildlife-friendly. Since the completion of our new ground at Broadhurst Park in 2014, we’ve planted more than 100 different trees and a variety of pollen-friendly plants and shrubs. This latest addition of 22 cider apple trees ties in with our plans to be a pollinator-friendly football stadium.
“As a child I grew up in an area where fruit trees were plentiful and helping yourself to delicious ripe fruit was second nature. We want to bring that experience to visitors to Broadhurst Park, and the wider local community. With the support of Helping Britain Blossom and Red Rose Forest, we hope to achieve that ambition.”
Dan Hasler (main image, right) is Helping Britain Blossom’s Greater Manchester Project Manager and is no stranger to apples or community orchards. For the last few years, he has been responsible for The Moss Cider Project, a community project/business model that rewards people who donate apples to the company with cider. They also sell bottles of Moss Cider in shops and bars across the city, as well as directly from Moss Side’s monthly market. They have just successfully applied for an on and off license so people can buy directly from their Moss Side lock up on or even stay for a few bevvies.
Hasler said: “Community orchards are such wonderful assets, bringing communities together, teaching new skills, supporting wildlife and producing delicious fresh fruit for the whole community to enjoy.”
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