Transition Worcester Orchard Workers started off as Worcester Orchard Worker group in the late 1990s after a survey was carried out to assess old orchards in Worcester. It was found that a lot of orchards had been turned into housing developments, leaving viable fruit trees in many gardens. In most cases, householders do not know how to care for fruit trees and so there was an important education and assistance role to ensure that these trees survived.

Transition Worcester Orchard Workers carry out various activities throughout the year. Their ‘base’ is at New College Worcester (on Whittington Road) where a voluntary work party take on the last Saturday of every month (10am – 1pm) for some hand-ons work. There’s always lots of pruning and maintenance work, and apple / blackberry picking at the right times of year. The group meets every month except December! New volunteers are always welcome, but before you come along, please contact Arthur Rowe on 01905 423766 (before the day) so that we know to expect you and can bring enough tools.

The Orchard Workers carry out various other activities too, including:

• Running a programme of apple pressing events throughout the autumn. Fruit tree owners can bring their surplus fruit to one of these events and have them pressed into delicious fresh juice. Date and venue details are publicised via the website, Facebook page and newsletter.
• Running fruit tree pruning courses- both at New College and at other venues- again, these are publicised through various channels. Please do get in touch to find out more.
• Encouraging fruit tree planting and growing- for example through recent plantings at the Old North Stables.
• The Orchard Workers have helped at other venues too, for example working with Worcester City Council to help revive Trotshill Orchard in Warndon.