“Our Apple Orchard is testament to our community’s farming roots”

Cider and apple juice will be flowing later this month with the grand opening of a new community orchard nestled amongst our Mendip Hills.

The Apple Day, hosted by Rodney Stoke & Draycott Parish Council, welcomes everyone to come and experience the new community green space which was funded by the Mendip Hills Fund and further additional grants. Visitors are welcome to enjoy a walk amongst the orchard which boasts a wide range of apple varieties.

Lynda Dearden, who has been a councillor for the past five years said, “Creating this orchard has been a real eye opener for me – so many people have helped to create the orchard – it’s a testament to our community’s farming roots.”

“This is why we created the Mendip Hills Fund… A community orchard helps wildlife and people at the same time.”

Jim Hardcastle, Manager, Mendip Hills National Landscape

The parish council have achieved the works by securing funding including a £1000 grant from the Mendip Hills Fund. “The grant from the Mendip Hills Fund allowed us to create a gravel path through the orchard,” said Lynda, “which means that our elderly community can access the orchard as well as enjoy the seating area too.”

Jim Hardcastle, manager of the Mendip Hills National Landscape said, “This is why we created the Mendip Hills Fund. Easy to access financial support for projects that help communities do amazing things for the Mendip Hills. A community orchard helps wildlife and people at the same time. Love it!’

The orchard has been planted with 14 apple trees as well as a medlar and an alder, with plans afoot to begin planting pears, cherries and plum trees later this autumn,  “The Rodney Stoke Red is a very successful cider apple and it was propagated in this area,” says Lynda, “ It’s now known as the Stoke Red and used by Thatchers in their cider production – we’ve planted two in the Orchard as a legacy.”

Local residents have sponsored trees and benches with some trees being dedicated to family members.  “It all helps to create a living landscape for future generations,” says Lynda “It’s been quite the multi-generational project throughout. When the local groundsman was completing the works he told me how his great grandfather was an orchardist in Draycott, and then he introduced me to three generations of his family all helping him do the work – it has been so enlightening to see so many people willing to help us out because they see this orchard as such an asset for our community.”

Apple Day is being  held on Sunday 25^th October and will celebrate all things ‘apple’ – including apple cake, cider and apple juice, apple activities, a quiz for adults and children, information about the history of Somerset orchards, and a guided walk around the orchard trees with music from the Joyful Voices choir.

“With thanks to the grants we have secured, including monies from the Mendip Hills Fund, our Apple Day will welcome everyone to come and celebrate how a previously underused piece of parish land is now being turned into a lasting community asset.” says Lynda “People can come and sit and enjoy nature as it evolves in our orchard.”

Apple Day, Sunday 25 October 2026, 2–4pm
Memorial Hall car park, Draycott, BS27 3UE

You can learn more about the Mendip Hills Fund here

The Mendip Hills Fund works in partnership with the Somerset Community Foundation