We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded £2,500 to create the Faversham Lakes Community Orchard.
The plan is to create a natural orchard following the principles of The Orchard Project, and to create a calm, reflective space where people can plant and nurture the trees together. We'll be looking for planting and maintenance volunteers to help establish and care for the orchard, with the aim of holding an annual 'Harvest' event that brings in the wider community and makes use of our community resources.
The Community Heritage Orchard idea has been developed by the Faversham Lakes Residents Association. It will be delivered by a group drawn from the Residents Association and other interested parties. Everyone is welcome to get involved, and no involvement in the Residents Association is required.
These images show potential planting spaces and what they might look like, created using generative AI.
We sought funding to establish the Faversham Lakes Community Heritage Orchard and are pleased to announce that we were awarded funding by Faversham Town Council. The orchard will be a free, inclusive outdoor space of approximately 35 heritage fruit trees beside the planned Community Hub and café facility at Faversham Lakes. The project will celebrate East Kent's fruit-growing heritage, provide volunteering and learning opportunities, support wellbeing and biodiversity, and create a year-round community destination for the local communities of Faversham Lakes, Oare, Davington and the surrounding area.
The Community Heritage Orchard will be located alongside the new Community Hub and café within the Faversham Lakes development between Davington and Oare. Designed as a long-term community asset, it will provide opportunities for people of all ages to engage with planting, orchard care, harvesting and seasonal activities, creating a welcoming outdoor environment that encourages social connection, active participation and appreciation of the local landscape.
The project has been developed with support from a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Level-qualified gardener who is responsible for caring for a cutting from the historic Sir Isaac Newton apple tree. Their expertise has helped shape the orchard design, planting strategy and selection of heritage varieties, ensuring the project is both horticulturally sustainable and rooted in local fruit-growing traditions.
The orchard will address a recognised gap in local provision by creating a freely accessible outdoor community space that is not currently available elsewhere in the immediate area. It will complement, rather than duplicate, existing community facilities and will work collaboratively with organisations such as The Abbey Physic Garden and West Faversham Community Centre, drawing on their knowledge, networks and experience to maximise community engagement and long-term impact.
East Kent has a nationally significant history of fruit growing. This project preserves and celebrates that heritage while creating a valuable green space. Located beside the Community Hub and café, the orchard will encourage visitors to use hub facilities while providing an attractive outdoor destination. As the location is reclaimed brownfield land, there are currently no fruit trees and this presents an opportunity to create something that is inclusive whilst celebrating the area's heritage.
The orchard also addresses an identified lack of accessible outdoor community spaces in this part of Faversham. While valued community facilities already exist elsewhere, there is currently no equivalent outdoor heritage and horticultural space serving residents in the Faversham Lakes, Oare and Davington areas. The project has therefore been designed to complement rather than duplicate existing provision, drawing on knowledge-sharing and collaboration with The Abbey Physic Garden and West Faversham Community Centre to ensure the orchard delivers unique and lasting community value.
Bringing people of all age groups and social backgrounds together through a ‘free’ activity group that encompasses: volunteering, improving health and wellbeing, celebrating local heritage, supporting biodiversity, providing education and skills, producing fruit for community events, and increasing engagement with the Community Hub and café.
The project will also benefit from the experience and support of local partners including The Abbey Physic Garden, West Faversham Community Centre and an RHS-qualified horticultural adviser, creating opportunities for skills-sharing, environmental education and community-led stewardship.
See below for an outline of events that this funding will support.
The orchard will increase footfall, provide opportunities for outdoor community events, create reasons for repeat visits, support seasonal café products and establish the Hub as a focal point for community activity.
Together, the Community Hub, café and orchard will create a distinctive destination that combines indoor and outdoor community facilities. By providing free access to green space, volunteering opportunities, social activities and heritage events, the orchard will help establish the site as a year-round focal point for community wellbeing, learning and connection.
A planting scheme of approximately 35 fruit trees is recommended:
Apple varieties should be selected from compatible pollination groups B, C and D to ensure reliable pollination and fruit production.
The funding will provide the following items for the orchard:
The Community Heritage Orchard will be much more than a collection of fruit trees. It will become a shared community asset that is free to access, open to all and designed to bring people together around a common purpose. Located adjacent to the Community Hub and café, the orchard will create a welcoming outdoor space where residents can meet, learn, volunteer, socialise and enjoy nature regardless of age, background, income or ability.
Importantly, the orchard will address a gap in provision within this part of Faversham by creating an outdoor-focused community destination that is currently unavailable to residents living around Faversham Lakes, Oare and Davington. The project has been designed to complement existing community initiatives elsewhere in the town rather than replicate them, with collaboration and knowledge-sharing from partners such as The Abbey Physic Garden and West Faversham Community Centre helping to strengthen delivery and maximise community impact.
In an era where many people experience social isolation, declining mental wellbeing and reduced connection to nature, the orchard will provide a simple but powerful opportunity for people to come together and create something lasting. The act of planting a tree is an investment not just in the landscape but in future generations participants will be able to see the direct results of their efforts as young trees grow, flower and ultimately produce fruit, creating a strong sense of pride, ownership and achievement.
The orchard will make a significant contribution to emotional and mental wellbeing within the community. Gardening and time spent in natural environments are widely recognised as activities that reduce stress, improve mood and help combat anxiety and loneliness. The orchard will provide opportunities for people to slow down, connect with nature and experience the satisfaction that comes from nurturing living things.
Volunteering in the orchard will offer:
For many people, especially the elderly, those living alone and people experiencing poor mental health, or individuals adjusting to retirement, volunteering in the orchard may become an important source of social contact and personal fulfilment.
One of the greatest strengths of a community orchard is its ability to appeal to people from every part of the community.
Unlike many recreational activities that target a particular age group, an orchard provides opportunities for everyone:
The orchard provides a natural environment for intergenerational learning. Long-standing residents can share memories of East Kent's fruit-growing heritage, while younger generations can learn about traditional orchard management, food production and environmental stewardship.
These shared experiences help strengthen community cohesion, encourage mutual understanding and build relationships between people who might not otherwise meet.
The orchard will provide a focus for a wide range of activities throughout the year, creating regular opportunities for community participation and engagement.
The creation of the orchard itself will begin with community planting events, where residents can help establish the orchard and feel a sense of ownership from the very beginning.
The initial delivery of the project will be led by the Faversham Lakes Residents Association, supported by expertise and guidance from The Abbey Physic Garden, West Faversham Community Centre and an RHS Level qualified gardener with experience of caring for a cutting from the Sir Isaac Newton apple tree. This collaborative approach will provide volunteers with access to horticultural knowledge and practical support during establishment of the orchard.
Benefits include:
Many participants will be able to return in future years to see "their" trees growing and thriving.
Throughout the year, volunteers can take part in:
These regular activities will create informal opportunities for people to socialise while working together towards a common goal.
The orchard maintenance programme can be linked directly to activities at the Community Hub and café, with volunteers able to gather for refreshments before or after events.
Spring blossom provides a natural opportunity for community events which celebrate both nature and local heritage.
Activities could include:
These events help encourage repeat visits to both the orchard and the Community Hub.
The orchard will provide a valuable outdoor learning space which, over time, could foster relationships with The Brogdale Collections, home to the National Fruit Collection, safeguarding thousands of fruit varieties and recognised internationally for expertise in fruit conservation, heritage orchards and traditional varieties.
The project has already benefited from input from an RHS Level qualified horticultural adviser responsible for caring for a cutting from the Sir Isaac Newton apple tree. This connection brings specialist expertise in heritage fruit varieties and orchard management, helping ensure that educational activities are grounded in best practice and local fruit-growing traditions.
Potential activities could include:
These activities help preserve local knowledge while developing skills and confidence among participants. They may also create opportunities to work with fruit specialists, conservation experts and educational organisations from across Kent, including links with Brogdale's fruit experts and seed-bank specialists, further strengthening the orchard's role as a community learning resource.
As the orchard matures, the annual harvest will become one of the key events in the community calendar.
Residents will come together to:
The harvest event will provide a visible demonstration of what can be achieved when a community works together over many years.
The ultimate long-term goal is for the orchard to produce enough fruit to support an annual community juice pressing day.
This event could involve:
This would become a distinctive annual event celebrating East Kent's orchard heritage while generating significant community participation and pride.
The orchard's location beside the Community Hub and café creates a unique opportunity to establish a vibrant community destination.
The orchard will:
Likewise, the Hub and café will provide:
Together, the orchard, hub and café will create a thriving centre of community life.
Most importantly, the Community Heritage Orchard will be a long-term investment in people, place and community wellbeing. The trees planted today may continue producing fruit for generations, creating a living legacy that future residents can enjoy and care for.
The orchard will be established and initially managed by the Faversham Lakes Residents Association, supported by expertise and guidance from The Abbey Physic Garden, West Faversham Community Centre and an RHS Level qualified horticultural adviser with experience caring for a cutting from the Sir Isaac Newton apple tree. Links between the Residents Association and West Faversham Community Centre are further strengthened through shared representation on environmental initiatives, creating valuable opportunities for partnership working and knowledge exchange.
By bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds, improving mental and physical wellbeing, celebrating East Kent's fruit-growing heritage and creating a year-round programme of inclusive community events, the orchard will become a focal point for local life and a powerful symbol of what communities can achieve when they work together toward a shared vision.
Through partnership working, community stewardship and shared expertise, the project will create a unique outdoor community space that complements wider provision across Faversham while providing lasting benefits for residents of Faversham Lakes, Oare, Davington and beyond.
For further information, or to get involved, email favershamlakesresidents@gmail.com.