Grow your own fruit orchard offer to Lancaster and Morecambe schools and community groups

Schools, faith and community groups, parish and borough councils across Lancashire can apply for up to 25 trees from a range of species including apple, pear, damson, plum, cherry and heritage trees, with some varieties able to bear fruit from the very first year.

Applications, which are open now, will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis until the funding runs out.

"It's very exciting for us to see so much action taking place to rejuvenate Lancashire's woodlands,” said Coun Carole Haythornthwaite, lead member for Economic Development and Environment at Lancashire County Council.

"We are urging groups and schools to take up this offer as it could make a real difference in the heart of communities during what is a difficult time financially for some families.

"The fruit trees especially could be a real bonus with people quite literally seeing the fruit of their labour going home with them. You can pick from a mix of varieties including ones that bear fruit at different times of the year, from late spring to October."

The successful grant of £150,000 from the DEFRA Coronation Living Heritage Fund, to mark the Coronation of King Charles III, will also support the planting of several fast-growing community micro-woods, called Miyawaki woods.

Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki developed a special tree-planting technique that involves enhancing the soil and planting trees closer together, resulting in faster growth than traditional techniques.

Coun Haythornthwaite added: "The amazing way that these trees are planted means that they can grow to over 6ft in just 18 months, helping the environment by absorbing carbon more quickly.

"The unique soil preparation and compact style of planting means that we can speed up the trees' growth."

This is not the only work recently completed to improve woodlands.

Five hundred small saplings were recently been planted along the A59 as well as 97 trees next to roads across the county to replace trees felled by Ash dieback in 2014. This was funded by an £83,692 grant from the Local Authority Treescapes Fund.

A £61,237 grant from the Urban Tree Challenge Fund also recently funded 90 larger trees in urban greenspaces and schools.

To apply for one of the grants, go to https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/council/grants/lancashire-community-orchard-grant/