A new community orchard has been officially opened and named to commemorate the Queen's 90th birthday.
Project Wild Haven, based at Community Roots in Southtown, Great Yarmouth, celebrated the royal birthday by opening the Queen Elizabeth II Community Orchard and unveiling its engraved wooden sign.
Over 30 people attended with the sign unveiled by local borough councillor Paula Waters-Bunn.
She said: 'I am honoured to be asked to unveil the new sign for the orchard. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at Community Roots and learning about what is being grown here. It is such an amazing asset to our community.'
Wild Haven project leader Steve Eastley, who led a tour of the site said: 'Paula did a great job unveiling the new sign and delivered an inspiring speech about what the orchard means to the community.
'There was a nice family atmosphere and the adult participants of the project were able to share their hard work with visitors. Wild Haven aims to bring local people together with nature, and this community orchard makes a significant contribution towards that.
'We are proud to name it the Queen Elizabeth II Community Orchard in honour of the Queen's 90th birthday this year.'
The celebrations continued with a nature quiz hosted by Green Light Trust volunteer, Ashley Parfitt, and a wood-fired pizza lunch managed by Wild Haven volunteer Andrew Leverett and Community Roots co-ordinator Joe Crabb.
'Ashley, Andrew and Joe did an amazing job. We are grateful for all their hard work and support,' said Steve.
'A big thank you also goes to Great Yarmouth Borough Council for the Queen's 90th Birthday grant for the orchard; Botanicals for supplying local fruit heritage trees; Nature Sign Designs for their services, Tesco for its contribution towards pizza ingredients; Willow Phoenix for helping us create a living willow fence around the orchard, and all the Community Roots volunteers who made the day possible.'
Wild Haven is a Big Lottery-funded environmental community project run by the Green Light Trust in partnership with GYW Mind until the end of 2018.
Later in the project members of the community will have the opportunity to take on the management of their own allotment plot.
For more information visit the Wild Haven website www.projectwildhaven.com or Facebook page or contact GYW Mind on 01493 842129.
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