Holbrook Community Orchard 

In support of our climate change initiatives, as we journey towards an Eco Church gold award, we applied to Horsham District Council for a Community Climate Fund grant for a community orchard within the church gardens.

Project aims and environmental benefits

• Plant fruit trees to increase carbon storage and provide free fruit for our local community.
• Help local children plant spring bulbs, create a wildflower meadow, bug hotel and butterfly feeder to increase and learn about biodiversity.
• Recycle food scraps and garden waste in a Hotbin to minimise waste and produce good compost faster.
• Collect rainwater in water butts to reduce water consumption.
• Invite everyone to spend time in St Mark's gardens and journey through a nature trail including Horsham Riverside Walk. 

Project Update

• Brighton Permaculture Trust are advising us and will help us plant and care for rare Sussex varieties of fruit trees in March 2024.
• We planted a hedgerow to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. A bug church was built by one of our young people and populated by some children from our Mini-Marks group. We joined No Mow May; apart from mowing paths and the Garden of Remembrance, this year there will be more mown paths and a sign.
• Two Hotbins compost food and garden waste in the church and vicarage gardens.
• We created a wildlife pond and connected two large water butts to the church roof and one to the large shed. We plan to connect the shed overflow to a rain garden.
• We created a Psalm 23 Nature Trail and a hedgehog highway connecting the church and vicarage gardens. Our vicar and his family cared for two rescued hedgehogs released in the vicarage garden. We plan to create a 'no dig plot' to demonstrate how you can grow food in a small space.

Volunteers from our church and community are welcome to help with our community orchard project. Please contact St Mark’s Eco Church Champion Karen Park or the church office if you wish to volunteer in any way or need more information.