Our First Wassail

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Celebrating Our Orchards

Wenvoe Wildlife Group will be hosting our first Wassail to celebrate our orchards in the Community Orchard on Saturday 17 January, 11.00 am- 12.00 noon at the orchard, followed by celebrations, singing and storytelling in the Community Centre.

Wassailing is an ancient new year tradition of blessing the apple orchards and to wish them and the community good health for the coming year. Bring a piece of toast if you can (for blessing the trees), a saucepan and wooden spoons to make noise for the tree blessings.

We will meet at 11.00 am at the small patch of land outside the Church Hall and toast the fruit trees there. If the weather is fair, we’ll then walk together over to the Community Orchard for more Wassailing, then back to the Community Centre for warming refreshments. If the weather is unsuitable to visit the orchard, we’ll continue directly to the Community Centre where there will be storytelling and song led by Cath Little, professional storyteller, and a chance to find out more about the Wenvoe Wildlife Group.

This will be a free event for all the family and there is no need to pre-book. Just turn up well wrapped up and in wellies if it’s wet. Dogs on leads will be welcome although they cannot enter the Community Centre.

The Community Orchard is a short walk from the centre of Wenvoe, adjacent to the Wenvoe Playing Fields. The Orchard is nurtured and maintained by Wenvoe Wildlife Group and has around 25 trees including a selection of apples, plums and pears along with medlar, quince and mulberry. The apple varieties include Tom Putt, Claygate Pearmain, Grenadier, Ashmeads Kernel, Ribston Pippin, Bardsley, Bakers Delicious and Morgan Sweet.

We are a community managed wildlife group based in and around Wenvoe, and the group is made up of local volunteers as well as other people who help with our various projects. Our activities involve conservation, hosting visits, leading wildlife and foraging walks, monitoring wildlife and giving advice on local biodiversity.

We look forward to celebrating our lovely orchard with you at this free family event.

Please contact Claire Bottomley on 074455 61389 if you need any further information and keep an eye out for reminders in the Village WhatsApp group.