Fruit of their labour for Holmes Chapel group (From Knutsford Guardian)

Fruit of their labour for Holmes Chapel group

8:40am Tuesday 10th July 2012 in News By James Wilson

A GROUP in Holmes Chapel which was set up in a bid to help to feed the village is going from strength to strength in its second year.

Home Grown in Holmes Chapel was established in 2011, taking inspiration from a similar scheme set up in Todmorden, Yorkshire.

The group encourages villagers to eat locally-grown produce and grow their own fruit and vegetables.

As well as the established beds at the patio by the carpet shop and outside the health centre in the middle of the village, several new beds have now been established.

Many residents will have noticed the new herb planter outside the Cheshire Building Society near the roundabout in the village.

The planter was donated to Home Grown in Holmes Chapel by Playground Markings Direct, and many residents have been enjoying the herbs planted in it, especially the parsley and coriander.

In addition to this new planter, the group have built new raised beds behind the George and Dragon and by the entrance to ‘restore’ the physiotherapy practice near the Co-op.

The wood for these raised beds was donated by Olympian Sheds, and these beds and the herb planter were filled with top soil donated by Street and Son.

The raised beds are being planted and cared for, not by Home Grown in Holmes Chapel as a group, but by residents and businesses close to their location.

Andrea Berry, Home Grown co-founder, said: “We are very pleased to be able to support local residents and businesses to use spaces close to their homes or places of work, to grow community fruit and vegetables.

“It is wonderful to see groups of residents of all ages working together on the beds they are looking after, getting to know each other better and enjoying their time outside.”

The group plans to plant fruit trees in the village later this year.