Celebrity chef and Great British Bake Off champion, Matty Edgell, has announced the opening of this year's Veolia Orchard scheme, inviting schools and community groups in Solihull to apply for either five fruit trees or 10 strawberry plants.
Veolia - who deliver essential recycling and waste collection, street cleansing and ground maintenance services on behalf of Solihull Council - has announced the return of its Orchard scheme in Solihull.
Since 2022, 20 fruit trees and 20 strawberry plants have been planted across six schools in Solihull.
Each orchard is part of an environmental network increasing biodiversity in local areas, with the recipients benefiting from access to home-grown produce and hands-on learning through nature.
The launch announcement was made at Beaumont School, where Veolia celebrated its national Orchard Bakes competition, which invited previous orchard recipients to create original recipes inspired by the fruits of their growing orchards.
The school in St Albans was crowned the winner for their chutney recipe, made from apples and pears grown in their orchard, donated by Veolia in 2023.
Schools and other community organisations in Solihull can apply for their very own orchard until Friday 20 November.
Successful candidates will hear back in December with the delivery of plants taking place in Spring 2027.
Pascal Hauret, Chief Operating Officer, Commercial & Municipal at Veolia said:
“The continued growth of Veolia Orchard in Solihull reflects our commitment to environmental education and community engagement.
"For the past five years, we’ve witnessed the transformative power of these green spaces from school playgrounds to care homes and places of worship.
"With over 700 schools and community groups already flourishing across our nationwide Orchard network, we hope to branch out this season and reach 1000 orchards. Each one represents another step towards a greener, more sustainable future.”
Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, Cllr Ken Hawkins, said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for schools and community groups to connect with nature, produce their own home-grown fruits, and support our local environment.
"By planting your own trees, you will also be contributing to our Planting Our Future initiative, helping to make Solihull a greener, healthier place to live, one tree at a time.
"I would encourage as many schools and community groups in Solihull as possible to take advantage of this offer.”
Each orchard comes with a free limited supply of Pro-Grow, Veolia’s nutrient-rich soil conditioner made from recycled garden waste, to support early growth of the saplings and seedlings.
Applicants can also opt for an interactive session with Veolia’s experts, who guide participants through planting whilst sharing insights on the long-term benefits to communities and the environment.
For more information and to apply, visit veolia.co.uk/veolia-orchard.