Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF) has invested in a community orchards project with the aim of helping more people connect with and learn about nature.
Partnering with UK charity The Orchard Project, the move involves an initial £50,000 investment, in year one, which will see orchards planted in London, Swansea, and Glasgow. IFCF has committed to a three-year partnership with The Orchard Project.
Those behind the scheme want to connect children and young people with nature while improving access to green spaces in deprived areas. New orchards are expected to provide fresh fruit, boost biodiversity, and create a sense of community where it is needed most.
The first three sites are at Stoneyfields Park in Edgware, St David’s Catholic Primary School in Swansea, and Calder Street Greenspace in Glasgow.
It is hoped the work will inspire future environmentalists. Indeed, IFCF has a strong environmental education focus, recently winding down its impactful Backyard Nature scheme which launched in 2019 and centred on encouraging people – particularly those living in inner-city and deprived communities – to reconnect with nature and take action to protect their own “patch”.
Richard Walker, executive chairman of Iceland Foods and chairman of IFCF, said: “Our new partnership with The Orchard Project reflects our shared commitment to creating greener, healthier communities as part of IFCF sustainability initiatives.
“Community orchards transform lives as much as landscapes. It’s about building opportunities for people to connect with nature, learn, and thrive. By supporting projects like this, we’re doing it right for people and the planet, and we hope to inspire others to explore how they can make a positive impact too.”
Kath Rose, CEO of The Orchard Project, remarked: “Community orchards offer local, inclusive, and long-term solutions to the social and environmental challenges we face.
“By equipping urban communities with the skills and resources they need to effectively steward green spaces, we are strengthening food security, enhancing biodiversity, and helping to create a social infrastructure that supports wellbeing and resilience. With IFCF’s support, we will be able to bring orchards into more communities across the UK and help nurture the next generation of orchardists.
[image credit: IFCF/The Orchard Project]
