Orchard enjoys fruits of their labours

Things are getting seriously fruity in Blantyre!

For last week work continued on the new community orchard, on Hunthill Road, and it’s looking great.

With an enthusiastic group of volunteers gathering to litter pick and plant more fruit bushes, the orchard now has white, red and blackcurrant bushes as well as a red gooseberry bush to add to the collection.

And the orchard now has a name after volunteer group Friends of the Calder asked for suggestions from the community.

The majority of people who took part favoured‘the White Gates Orchard’.

This is a nod to the past, when the entrance to the Calder had white gates, even although they have been gone for many years.

And the name is now at the orchard thanks to talented local man Jim Crossan who designed a fabulous sign which was then produced by generous and community-minded Gavin Watson Printers.

A spokeswoman for Friends of the Calder said:“in only a short number of months, thanks to the generosity of Babcock International and their supply chain partners, South Lanarkshire Council and the Blantyre Community, we now have another amazing community asset to be enjoyed by all who live in the town.

“It just shows what can be achieved when communities come together.

“We look forward to the orchard blossoming over the coming months.”

For further information on group’s progress please the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook. com/friendsofthecalder.